SHAH ALAM, August 4 2026— Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) continues to be a preferred transit hub for international drug syndicates, with police suggesting that flights departing from the airport may receive less security scrutiny than those from some other regional airports.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the possibility, coupled with strong demand for narcotics in Europe, could explain why syndicates continue to exploit KLIA for drug trafficking.
“One possible reason is that flights from KLIA may not be prioritised for the same level of security screening as those from other airports. That is only a possibility, but it may explain why syndicates favour KLIA,” he told a press conference at the Selangor police headquarters on Monday.
From January to July this year, police recorded 108 drug trafficking cases at KLIA, double the 54 cases reported during the same period last year. Arrests also increased from 57 to 121 suspects.
Police seized 1.35 tonnes of drugs worth an estimated RM108.35 million, a significant increase from 235.36kg valued at RM18.46 million seized in the corresponding period in 2025.
In the latest operation conducted between July 27 and 31, police arrested 13 suspected drug mules — comprising five Malaysians and eight foreign nationals aged between 18 and 53.
Authorities also seized 260.08kg of cannabis flower buds and 1.01kg of cocaine, with a combined estimated street value of RM21.26 million, enough to supply approximately 525,000 users.
Hussein said the suspects were typically recruited for a fee of several thousand ringgit, depending on the destination and quantity of drugs transported. They would enter Malaysia without a specific purpose, stay near KLIA and await instructions from syndicates before flying to their final destinations with the narcotics.
Despite continuous enforcement efforts, Hussein said criminal syndicates continue attempting to exploit potential security gaps at KLIA, driven largely by lucrative demand in the European drug market, where narcotics can fetch three to four times their original value.
–Bernama
