Bukit Aman says drug syndicates recruit members of the public as mules to smuggle cannabis flowers to Europe, luring them with cash and free trips.
BACHOK: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) have found that drug trafficking syndicates operating by air to Europe frequently use members of the public as drug mules, particularly to transport cannabis flowers, which are in high demand on the continent.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department Director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said, however, that not all pilots arrested for involvement in drug smuggling were transporting drugs to Europe.
“As far as we know, only one or two pilots were involved. Among them was a co-pilot arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“To our knowledge, he (the co-pilot) travelled to Australia and Indonesia, not Europe. Smuggling to Europe mostly involves drug mules from the general public,” he told reporters during a press conference following a strategic visit to the Bachok Narcotics Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen) today.
He said most air-based drug trafficking cases involving Europe centred on cannabis flowers due to the high demand for the illicit substance in the market.
He urged the public to be wary of offers from syndicates promising lucrative payments, including free flight tickets or holiday packages, or asking them to transport certain luggage overseas.
“Our citizens need to understand that it is unusual for someone to offer large sums of money to cover tickets, holiday packages and the like.
“So, do not get ensnared by these syndicates,” he said.
On how drug trafficking syndicates manage to bypass security controls at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Hussein said he could not elaborate as the Home Ministry is currently reviewing measures to strengthen security at all the country’s entry and exit points.
He said drug trafficking syndicates were becoming increasingly sophisticated and were exploiting various routes, including air, sea and land.
“If not by air, they use waterways, land routes and so on,” he said.
Hussein said that apart from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), PDRM had also recorded arrests linked to drug smuggling activities at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh.
Yesterday, Bernama reported that police had detained a man to assist in investigations into the drug-related arrest of a Malaysian co-pilot in Jakarta, Indonesia, last July.
The co-pilot was detained by Indonesian authorities at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 25 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs.
The Indonesian National Police (POLRI) subsequently found 15 packages containing 70,114 ecstasy pills and methamphetamine, with an estimated value of RM45 million.