'Tauke', couriers and compromised officers: Inside prison's contraband trade [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: From tobacco, ganja and syabu to lighters, matches and mobile phones, inmates can get almost anything they want behind bars for the right price.

A former Taiping Prison warden, who wished to be known only as Aziz, 56, said he had seen it all, after being with the Prisons Department for 20 years before opting for early retirement as a sergeant.

He said it was an "open secret" in some prisons that inmates, outside contacts and, in some cases, officers, were willing to compromise their integrity for bribes.

"We don't have anything to do with them unless its for a fee," he told the New Straits Times when asked about wardens' involvement.

Aziz said most prison officers were professional, but said a small number of compromised people could weaken the system.

'TAUKE' CONTROL THE TRADE

Aziz said the network was centred around influential inmates known as "tauke", who coordinated orders and linked inmates looking for contraband with those who could get them.

"The tauke will deal with orang kerja. Orang kerja will deal with the wardens," he said.

Orang kerja refers to inmates assigned to work inside the prison. Many are long-serving prisoners familiar with prison routines, work areas and personnel.

"They know the place, they know the routine and they know where everyone is working," he said.

Aziz said being an orang kerja did not automatically mean an inmate was involved in smuggling, but said some exploited their positions to move items between areas or facilitate contact.

He said prohibited items could be concealed on the person, swallowed or moved through other means, depending on the item and security level.

"Some prisoners will conceal items in their rectum when they go for court cases. These are known as couriers.

"If they manage to smuggle in the items, they would normally receive a portion of the consignment when they deliver it safely.

"This smuggling method is commonly known as 'rocket'," he told the NST.

Tobacco, known as "habuk" in prison slang, was among the most commonly smuggled items. A quantity about the size of a toothpaste cap could cost between RM100 and RM150.

Inmates also sought drugs, including ganja, heroin and syabu, as well as lighters, lighter flints, matches and other ignition sources.

Those working in officers' canteens or kitchens could get lighters and bring them into prison blocks, where they could sell them to other inmates.

"Anything that is difficult to get inside will have a price. Sales do not necessarily have to involve cash. Things could even be bought with plates of meals," he said.

PAYMENTS ROUTED THROUGH OUTSIDE CONTACTS

Aziz said payments were often made through family members or trusted contacts outside prison rather than through cash inside.

An inmate would place an order, after which the tauke would provide a bank or e-wallet account belonging to an associate outside prison. The inmate's family would then deposit the money, which would be withdrawn and distributed among those involved.

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Aziz claimed some prison officers received about RM3,000 a month for facilitating access or turning a blind eye. He also claimed a prison officer could charge thousands of ringgit to bring in a box of prohibited items concealed among legitimate goods. He said personnel working different shifts could be involved.

"There are three shifts. One shift will be on the tauke's side," he said.

He said payments and prices depended on demand, availability, quantity and the risk of detection. Inmates bringing tobacco into prison could receive part of the consignment as payment.

Aziz said drugs, tobacco and mobile phones were among the most sought after items by inmates. Mobile phones allowed them to contact people outside prison despite being prohibited.

"Someone wants it, someone can get it, and someone has to bring it in," he said.

SECURITY GAPS

Aziz said searches, X-ray machines and other checks did not always prevent inmates from concealing prohibited items. Those suspected of hiding contraband could be placed in isolation or quarantine for observation and further checks, but not every attempt was successful.

"Some of them will get through, some of them won't."

Singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman, who spent time in Sungai Buloh Prison, had recently said strict security checks had not stopped drugs from circulating inside.

"There are a lot of drugs in prison, even with all the SOPs (standard operating procedures). They strip us and make us do squats to check," he had said on the Sembang Seram podcast.

Yasin said drugs were compressed, sealed in plastic and swallowed to smuggle them in, while inmates suspected of carrying drugs in their bodies were made to pass motion.

Responding to Yasin's allegations, Prisons Department senior director of prison policy Mohamad Rosidek Musa said while some negative practices could occur, procedures were in place to prevent them.

"The allegation is not true because in the prison context, we focus on rehabilitation programmes and try to address negative practices in prisons.

"Such a thing (as alleged) does not exist. We have SOPs and regulations to curb negative and undesirable practices. We acknowledge that some things may happen, but not as described," Rosidek had said.

Aziz, meanwhile said, security was only as strong as the people enforcing it.

"Even if you have a scanner, if someone wants to cheat the system, they will look for a way," he said.

Aziz said the system was vulnerable when a handful of "bad apples" accepted money. "It's all about the money."

DRONES ADD NEW DIMENSION

Aziz said drones added a new dimension to prison smuggling by allowing prohibited items to be delivered without requiring a person to pass through a controlled entry point.

"In my time, we didn't have to worry about illicit items being dropped from the air," he said.

In November 2024, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said 55 attempts to smuggle drugs into detention centres using drones had been detected and foiled.

Tapah Prison recorded the highest number of attempts, followed by Alor Star Prison. The minister said all 55 attempts had been detected before the drones breached the security perimeter.

The issue resurfaced this year when police arrested two individuals on July 15 following an attempt to smuggle tobacco into Sungai Udang Prison using a drone. NST has been attempting to contact the Prisons Department for comment for more than a week on the latest allegations and is still awaiting a response.