Drug syndicates use public as mules to smuggle cannabis to Europe, says Bukit Aman

Bukit Aman, the Royal Malaysia Police's Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, has revealed that drug trafficking syndicates are increasingly using civilians as mules to smuggle cannabis to Europe. The issue primarily involves cannabis flowers due to the demand on the European market, according to Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, the director of the department.

Hussein stated that only a couple of pilots have been involved in drug-related smuggling incidents, including a co-pilot arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, and another in Australia. However, most of these air-based drug trafficking cases to Europe involve the general public as drug mules.

The police urge the public to avoid falling prey to drug syndicates that offer lucrative payments, such as free flight tickets or holiday packages, in exchange for transporting drugs. Hussein stressed that it's unusual for someone to offer such large sums of money, suggesting citizens remain wary of these offers.

Regarding security measures at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Hussein admitted that he couldn't disclose specific details as the Home Ministry is currently reviewing security protocols. However, he mentioned that drug trafficking syndicates are becoming more sophisticated and are utilizing various transportation routes, including air, sea, and land.

Apart from KLIA, Bukit Aman has also recorded arrests linked to drug smuggling at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh. Recently, Bernama reported that police had detained a man in Jakarta, Indonesia, to aid in the investigation of a Malaysian co-pilot arrested last July. The co-pilot was suspected of attempting to smuggle 25 kilograms of drugs, which included 70,114 ecstasy pills and methamphetamine with an estimated value of RM45 million.