KUALA LUMPUR: Police have confirmed the case of a 41-year-old Malaysian drug kingpin who was arrested in Laos and is working with authorities in that country as well as Thailand to topple the illegal ring.
In a statement today, Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Seri Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said the man was arrested on Dec 28, 2023, in Vientiane, Laos, for failure to possess valid travel documents under the Lao Immigration Act.
He also said the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) Thailand has proposed to the Laos Police to deport the suspect to Thailand, as he has been blacklisted under the Thai Narcotics Act.
"The suspect is a 41-year-old local citizen, married, and hails from Parit Buntar, Perak. He is believed to be associated with a drug syndicate network in Malaysia," he said.
Kamarudin said the police, specifically the NCID, is currently collaborating with the ONCB and the Laos Police to conduct further investigations into the case.
"All necessary actions will be taken to ensure that drug distribution/smuggling activities that pose a threat to the country are eradicated without compromise," he said.
Earlier today, Bernama reported a Malaysian fugitive wanted in Thailand for drug smuggling was arrested during a Thai-Lao joint operation last week.
The 39-year-old Malaysian, an alleged drug dealer and key member of a drug syndicate, had been hiding in Laos, according to Thai police.
Assistant National Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Panurat Lakboon said the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) had been investigating the Malaysian man, a suspected drug trafficker who played a key role as procurer and coordinator in the drug trade in the Golden Triangle area since 2006.