KUALA LUMPUR: There are no indications that fentanyl, the synthetic opioid driving one of the United States' worst drug crises, has reached Malaysia.
Federal Narcotic Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin said police have detected any signs that the drug was being trafficked into the country or being used.
"Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin as an analgesic (painkiller)," he said according to Sinar Harian.
Fentanyl was introduced as an intravenous anaesthetic in the 1960s. However, illicit fentanyl has been driving overdose deaths in the US.
Most of the illicit supply of the drug in the US reportedly comes from China and Mexico.
Khaw said studies indicate that a small packet of fentanyl (5gm) can kill 500 addicts.
Meanwhile, Khaw said the department has seized 186.7kg of cocaine worth RM37.3 million since 2021.
He said drug trafficking syndicates use various methods to smuggle in the cocaine, including using trading vessels and packing the drugs among legitimate goods.
Khaw said cocaine was not a major threat as it was unpopular in Malaysia.
"One of the reasons is that it is very expensive, it costs RM200,000 per kg.
"Addicts prefer to use synthetic and new psychoactive substances which are cheaper."
Khaw also said syndicates were using Malaysia as a transit point to ship drugs to other countries because of its strategic location.
"To ensure our country does not become a transit for drugs, we will ramp up cooperation with other agencies at our borders and ports."