Malaysia at risk of becoming transit hub for international drug syndicates

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia faces the threat of being exploited as a transit hub for international drug smuggling and trafficking syndicates.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the country's strategic geographical location and extensive air, land, and maritime transport networks could potentially be leveraged by organised crime syndicates to bring in drugs before distributing them to local markets or forwarding them to other destination countries.

He said the matter was uncovered through intelligence and enforcement operations by the police.

"The police, through the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID), are intensifying intelligence gathering and enforcement operations against the entire syndicate network.

"This includes suppliers, coordinators, financiers, and distributors, alongside strengthening cooperation with international enforcement agencies and tightening controls at airports, ports, and land borders to curb smuggling activities," he said in a written reply published on the Dewan Rakyat portal today.

He was responding to a question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) on whether Malaysia is currently serving as a transit point for international drug production and trafficking syndicates.

Saifuddin said that, following several security incidents at the country's entry points, the cabinet approved a Joint Memorandum between the Home Ministry and the Transport Ministry on Aug 19.

He said the memorandum covers the proposed implementation of an action plan on Security Improvement and Mitigation to Strengthen Security Controls and Screening in phases at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and other international entry points.

"This action plan encompasses 17 substantive recommendations framed around three main security pillars: Aviation Security, National and Border Security, and Physical and Protection Security.

"Its implementation is divided into phases comprising short-term (zero to six months), medium-term (six to 24 months), and long-term (exceeding 24 months)," he said.