.116 firms called for talks to combat drugs via courier

Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd heads the narcotics criminal investigation department at federal police headquarters. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Federal narcotics officers are to have talks with 116 courier companies on Jan 16 about drug traffickers using Malaysia’s “world-class courier services” to distribute drugs.

Narcotics CID director Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said “there have been some attempts to transport drugs through courier services, even through PosLaju, and we have made some arrests”.

“The first step is to build a rapport with these companies. I want to find out what mechanism they have to protect against drug trafficking, what are their current operating procedures and how can we help them tackle drug trafficking.”

Khalil said he hoped all 116 companies would attend the meeting. “Malaysia has some world class courier companies and it’s better that we start working on this issue before it’s too late,” he said.

The federal anti-narcotics chief could not provide any data as to the amount of drugs smuggled via courier companies, but the practice was “nothing new”.

Khalil said his department seized 20 tons of drugs with a street value of RM2.7 billion last year, compared to 8.9 tons of drugs worth RM394 million in 2018.

A total of 175,095 people were arrested and 137,961 case files opened, with 70% of these cases (97,111) successfully prosecuted in court.

Nineteen drug mules were apprehended before they left the country in 2019 while nine drug kingpins were arrested.

In addition, 28 drug labs were found in 2019 in comparison to 35 in 2018. - FMT