1.35 Tonnes of Cannabis at KLIA: ‘Is There Insider Involvement?’

SHAH ALAM: Insider involvement is believed to be one of the causes of the increase in attempts to smuggle cannabis through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) when 1.35 metric tonnes of the organic drug were seized there between January and July this year.

The seizure of drugs worth RM108.35 million was reported to have increased up to six times compared to the same period last year, when 235.36 kilograms (kg) worth RM18.46 million were seized.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) Director, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said that the number of arrests also increased, with 121 individuals, 42 of whom were foreigners, involving 108 cases recorded.

He said that in the same period last year, 57 individuals were arrested for involvement in drug distribution and smuggling activities through KLIA.

“Based on the number of arrests and seizures, I can say that KLIA has become a hub for exporting (drugs), especially cannabis.

“The drugs seized are believed to have been brought in from the northern part through Kelantan and transported via land and sea routes before arriving at KLIA. In this country, there is no drug (cannabis cultivation) that can supply that much,” he said in a press conference here today.

Earlier, he informed that police recently busted a number of drug distribution activities in various special operation series, the results of which were considered extraordinary, with 260 kg of cannabis and 1.01 kg of cocaine worth RM21.26 million seized.

The operations, involving nine cases, saw police arrest 13 individuals comprising three local men and two local women, as well as six foreign men and two foreign women acting as drug mules, aged between 18 and 53.

All cases are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment and no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane.

Meanwhile, Hussein explained that the possibility of insider involvement and the need for improved security checks are factors causing KLIA to frequently become a focal point for international drug distribution activities.

“Among the aspects that police are looking at is whether there is insider involvement at KLIA?

“Perhaps flights from KLIA are not given priority (for drug detection checks) or there is less sensitivity compared to flights from other (country) airports.

“I decline to comment on procedures at the terminal, but in a meeting with the Ministry of Transport and all involved agencies yesterday, we saw that there is a need to increase the security level for passengers and also goods at KLIA.

“That means, the priority at KLIA in terms of smuggling has been firearms and other prohibited items. Now we (and the ministry) have agreed to include drugs as one of the priorities for the security level,” he explained.

Utusan Malaysia