DRUG trafficking syndicates are increasingly using complex and audacious methods to smuggle narcotics into Malaysia, including exploiting uninhabited islands as temporary storage points, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) has revealed.
JKDM Director-General Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said today syndicates have adopted a ‘drop point’ system, leaving consignments of drugs at designated locations for collection by other members of the network.
She explained that this method extends to abandoning drug hauls on deserted islands to avoid detection by authorities.
“Additionally, syndicates use cargo containers carrying goods such as fruits and vegetables from neighbouring countries to deceive the authorities, but this tactic has been successfully detected by Customs,” she said.
“Over the first 10 months of this year, we have recorded 594 drug cases with seizures totalling RM459.30 million.”
Anis highlighted that traffickers frequently use courier services under false names and addresses to dispatch parcels containing narcotics.
She added that smugglers exploit land border checkpoints by employing individuals transporting vehicles laden with concealed drugs.
“Smuggling syndicates use ‘drug mules’ or specific individuals who hide narcotics in luggage stored in vehicles,” she said, noting that vehicles modified with hidden compartments have also been discovered.
The Director-General explained that traffickers also attempt to insert narcotics among cargo such as fresh produce and perishable goods from neighbouring countries.
To counter these tactics, JKDM has intensified enforcement measures. Anis highlighted the Joint Task Force (JTF) operation with Indonesia, conducted from 1 to 31 July in Sabah and Sarawak, which resulted in seizures valued at RM39.22 million.
“We also conduct routine inspections at the country’s entry and exit points by officers stationed along the borders,” she said, adding that maritime patrols focus on hotspot areas alongside routine surveillance by the JKDM Marine Unit.
The department has also enhanced its drug-sniffer dog units with additional assets and continuous training, alongside strengthened intelligence-driven operations, with officers deployed specifically to gather information on smuggling networks.
“JKDM continues to strengthen its role as a frontline agency in safeguarding national security, particularly in combating drug smuggling activities,” Anis said. “This, in turn, reflects strong operational capability, the expertise of its personnel, and the effectiveness of the enforcement strategies implemented.” - November 21, 2025
