KLIA Drug Cases Double as Police Seize RM108.35 Million in Narcotics Crackdown

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) recorded a twofold increase in drug-related cases at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) between January and July this year, with 108 cases detected compared with 54 cases during the corresponding period in 2025.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) Director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan stated that total arrests rose sharply to 121 individuals compared with 57 during the same timeframe last year. Out of those detained this year, 42 were foreign nationals implicated in trafficking activities through the country’s primary international gateway.

Targeted enforcement efforts to disrupt supply networks yielded encouraging results, as supply and distribution cases surged from 18 last year to 47 this year, while the number of suspected traffickers arrested nearly tripled from 21 to 59 individuals.

Intelligence-driven operations and tightened security surveillance successfully foiled attempts to smuggle 1.35 tonnes (1,353.41 kg) of illicit drugs into and out of the country, representing a massive increase from the 235.36 kg confiscated during the same period in 2025. The total estimated value of the confiscated narcotics soared to RM108.35 million, compared with RM18.46 million recorded last year.

Police also detected a distinct shift in syndicate tactics, with a growing operational trend centered on smuggling cannabis flower. Seizures of cannabis flower surged to 1.25 tonnes (1,251.18 kg) this year from just 82.98 kg during the same period in 2025, while ketamine seizures rose to 16.51 kg from 2.15 kg.

Beyond direct airport interceptions, intelligence gathered by the KLIA District Narcotics Crime Investigation Division enabled law enforcement officers to dismantle trafficking networks across five separate follow-up operations in Sepang, Selangor, and Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

“The operations resulted in the seizure of 367.83 kg of cannabis flower worth RM29.43 million, including the largest single seizure of 153.68 kg in Mambau, Seremban, as well as four raids in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Sepang,” Hussein stated in an official release published on the department’s Facebook page.

Hussein attributed these operational successes to seamless inter-agency cooperation between the NCID and the Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) Auxiliary Police, emphasizing that rapid intelligence sharing and integrated surveillance played a vital role in dismantling syndicate operations.

Reiterating PDRM’s stance, Hussein stressed that police will not allow KLIA or any national border checkpoint to be exploited as a transit hub for illegal narcotics trafficking, confirming that joint enforcement initiatives with border security agencies will continue to be reinforced to dismantle syndicates. Members of the public with information regarding drug-related crime are urged to contact the NCID hotline at 012-2087222.

–NMT