Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian customs police detained a man caught with 8.3 kilograms of heroin worth 1.9 million ringgit (513,500 dollars), a news report said Tuesday.

Officers from the northern state of Penang raided the man's hotel room Thursday on a tip and discovered the drugs in 18 envelopes stuffed inside two bags, customs Assistant Director General Mohamad Hassim Pardi was quoted as saying by the Star daily.

He said the 30-year-old suspect had been remanded into custody for a week to facilitate investigations, adding that authorities were trying to determine the man's suppliers and network.

If found guilty of drug trafficking, the suspect faces a mandatory death penalty by hanging. (dpa)