[UPDATED] Drug syndicates turn to smaller airports to evade KLIA security

KUALA LUMPUR: Narcotics officials in Malaysia have uncovered a shift in international drug trafficking tactics, as syndicates now utilize smaller airports and alternative routes to sidestep security at the country's main hub, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). This change in strategy was demonstrated by the recent arrest of a drug mule at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh, where a significant quantity of drugs was seized.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan explained that the syndicate had likely adjusted their routes due to stringent enforcement measures implemented at KLIA. The arrest marked the start of Operation Tebuan, which led to the seizure of drugs worth approximately RM18.16 million and the apprehension of seven suspects across Perak, Selangor, and Kedah between September 1 and October 4.

Hussein asserted that the syndicate had been operating since July and had been supplying drugs from a neighboring country, distributing them in the Klang Valley and exporting some via couriers. The syndicate recruited drug mules at a cost ranging from RM5,000 to RM20,000, depending on the quantity and type of drugs transported. Police also seized two vehicles and five bank cards, valued at approximately RM118,000.

Several suspects had prior criminal or drug-related records, with the first suspect charged under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 on September 8.