INTERNATIONAL drug trafficking syndicates are adopting increasingly sophisticated tactics to move drug mules through airports, including instructing couriers to check in at the last minute or during peak travel periods in the hope of exploiting security lapses, according to the Royal Malaysia Police.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the lucrative profits generated by the illicit trade continued to drive syndicates to devise new methods to outmanoeuvre enforcement authorities.
“They continue trying and hope there will be negligence or a failure in the airport authorities’ detection systems.
“One of the tactics is checking in at the last minute or during peak hours,” he said when contacted today.
Hussein said intelligence monitoring indicated that airports remained the primary transit route for international drug mules operating on behalf of transnational syndicates.
While ports and land border crossings were also exploited for smuggling activities, he said the modus operandi differed significantly from the use of human couriers through airports.
“The authorities, particularly JSJN, continuously assess current trends and strengthen controls at all entry points into the country comprehensively,” he said.
Hussein described the use of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang as a transit hub by international drug syndicates, particularly those recruiting foreign travellers as drug mules, as a serious and persistent security threat.
He said Malaysia's strategic location as a regional aviation hub made KLIA one of the preferred routes for syndicates involved in transcontinental drug trafficking.
“However, JSJN together with other enforcement agencies in the country continues to strengthen control measures, intelligence gathering and comprehensive security inspections to ensure every attempt to smuggle drugs is detected and thwarted,” he said.
He said criminal networks were employing increasingly sophisticated and carefully planned methods to recruit and deploy drug couriers.
These included offering fake job opportunities, all-expenses-paid holidays and lucrative financial rewards, while deceiving victims into transporting items without knowing their true contents.
“In addition, there are also cases where drugs are creatively concealed in luggage, clothing, personal belongings and even through the ‘body packing’ method to avoid detection by the authorities,” he said.
Hussein said syndicates typically targeted individuals facing financial hardship or those with limited awareness of the severe legal consequences, luring them with promises of high financial rewards, overseas employment or complimentary travel packages.
“Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant and not be easily deceived by suspicious offers. Never agree to carry items belonging to others without knowing their contents, especially at airports.
“Involvement in such activities can result in very severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty in certain countries,” he said. - July 22, 2026
