Kuala lumpur: Police arrested 50 individuals suspected of acting as drug mules at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) between last year and April this year, with Malaysians accounting for the largest group at 19.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan reported that 25 suspects were arrested last year, including 12 Malaysians, five Taiwanese, three British, three Maldivians, and two Indonesians. Up to April this year, another 25 suspects were detained, involving seven Malaysians, five Britons, four Singaporeans, three French nationals, two Indonesians, and one each from Hong Kong, Thailand, Slovakia, and Ireland.
Hussein highlighted that international drug syndicates have adopted new tactics, such as making last-minute flight bookings for drug mules or scheduling flights during peak hours at KLIA to evade detection. Additionally, syndicates lure victims with fake job offers, free holiday packages, and lucrative financial rewards, persuading them to carry items unknowingly containing drugs. Narcotics are often concealed in luggage, clothing, personal belongings, or through 'body packing'.
"Airports remain the primary route used by syndicates to smuggle drugs through drug mules, particularly involving international networks, while ports and land border checkpoints are also used through different operational methods," Hussein stated when contacted.
In a related development, 180 Malaysians were arrested overseas for suspected involvement as drug mules between 2024 and April this year, with 84 in 2024, 66 in 2025, and another 30 up to April this year. Despite a declining trend, Hussein expressed concern over Malaysians continuing to fall victim to overseas drug mule syndicates in countries like Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. Many are believed to have been deceived by job offers or promises of easy financial rewards, unaware of the severe legal consequences in those countries.
Hussein mentioned that the NCID collaborates closely with foreign enforcement agencies through intelligence sharing, joint operations, and information exchanges to identify and dismantle syndicate networks. Intelligence from interrogations of suspects arrested in Malaysia is shared with relevant foreign authorities to help identify syndicate networks, while investigations into local syndicate networks continue.
He also advised the public to be cautious of suspicious job offers, holiday packages, or financial rewards and to avoid carrying items belonging to others without knowing their contents, particularly when travelling through airports. "Involvement in such activities can result in severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty in several countries. Public cooperation is vital in helping authorities combat cross-border drug smuggling," he emphasized.