KUDOS to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, director of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID), Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd, and their dedicated officers who have made remarkable progress in curbing drug syndicates and their kingpins.
The Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department made a huge haul on Jan 13, seizing 1.5 tonnes of drugs worth RM144.9 million. The IGP said that 309.76kg of syabu, 12.7kg of heroin base, 637.72kg of ecstasy pills, 564.83kg of ermine 5 pills and 6.5kg of cocaine were seized.
The IGP confirmed that the drugs could have supplied 6.5 million addicts. He said the bust represented the first time the police managed to target a drug wholesaler responsible for importing drugs to be marketed locally and overseas.
On Nov 24 last year, the NCID uncovered a drug lab and seized 110kg of drugs in Ipoh. It also arrested five people.
In October, 468 drug dealers, including 25 women, were rounded up in a nationwide operation targeting small-time dealers. The raids, codenamed “Op Damn Token”, also resulted in the seizure of 121kg of drugs worth RM6.45 million, and assets and cash valued at RM1.2 million.
The police on Sept 10 last year seized more than 12 tonnes of cocaine mixed with a shipment of charcoal during a raid in Penang. They found the cocaine, valued at RM2.4 billion, and charcoal stored in three containers at Butterworth Port. They also identified a 29-year-old Malaysian who was involved in an international drug syndicate using Malaysia as a transit point.
Last August, 4.4 tonnes of syabu were seized, more than the combined amount of the previous four years. It is alarming to see the large amount of drugs smuggled into Malaysia.
The police should continue to go after the “big fish” so that the majority of drug syndicates will be eliminated. All law enforcement agencies should work together and exchange information or intelligence on drug syndicates and trafficking as it is not just the responsibility of the police.
The IGP confessed that drug syndicates employed sophisticated technology. The police need technological capabilities to improve their effectiveness in fighting drug trafficking. Khalil also said improvements in technical support were urgently needed.
The government should increase the allocation to procure modern technology, including the latest scanners for the ports. The nation also needs more well-trained law enforcement officers of high integrity. More informants should be recruited.
Special training on big data and surveillance of the dark web should be established to curb drug trade in the digital age. However, gathering reliable information is not easy as it requires money and the traffickers’ modus operandi keeps changing. The people must assist law enforcement agencies by providing information to cripple the drug syndicates.
In Malaysia, possession of drugs is a serious offence, inviting capital punishment under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
To disrupt their cash flow, syndicate members and criminals who earn billions should be charged also under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, or the Income Tax Act 1997, which allow proceeds from drug trafficking to be frozen and seized.
Laws will be effective only if there is serious enforcement. We need to rid ourselves of this great evil or we will suffer terrible consequences. Kudos once again to the police for the excellent work.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times