Foreigners make up bulk of cannabis smuggling cases at KLIA

Foreigners constitute the overwhelming majority of individuals apprehended for attempting to smuggle cannabis flowers out of Malaysia, with such incidents being reported almost daily at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Datuk Sri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, director of the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA), disclosed that targeted screening measures have been intensified at both KLIA terminals in response to the arrest of a Malaysian pilot in Indonesia.

The pilot was apprehended in July at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for allegedly smuggling over 70,000 ecstasy pills weighing approximately 25kg, along with 2.74g of methamphetamine and trace amounts of methamphetamine residue.

Zain emphasized that MCBA is now routinely encountering attempts to export cannabis flowers from Malaysia. He informed reporters following the conclusion of the MCBA Basic Officer Training Course Series 1/2026 at the Police Training Centre that almost daily or at least weekly, individuals attempting to smuggle cannabis flowers are detained. Most of these individuals are foreigners, not Malaysians, according to Zain.

MCBA has been collaborating with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to conduct targeted screening at KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The agency has been assigned three critical responsibilities at international airports as part of 17 government initiatives aimed at bolstering border security. These responsibilities include targeted screening, intelligence operations, and K9 operations. Zain asserted that MCBA is implementing these measures and anticipates the public to witness their execution at airports.

Furthermore, Zain disclosed that MCBA has thwarted seizures and government revenue leakages amounting to more than RM265 million so far this year, a significant increase from RM80 million recorded last year. He attributed this growth to enhanced enforcement, encompassing new initiatives and efforts to improve the work ethic among MCBA personnel.

The primary contributors to this increase, according to Zain, are e-waste and drug smuggling. He affirmed that law enforcement efforts will persist at Malaysia's entry points to curb smuggling and impede additional revenue leakages.