SUBANG JAYA: Drug syndicates are using Malaysia as a transit hub while fulfilling demand from local drug users, according to a senior federal police narcotics officer.
Federal police in Bukit Aman are working on measures to identify smuggling routes used by drug syndicates to cut off the supply of drugs into the country.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin said one of the reasons syndicates were using Malaysia as a transit hub was because they could earn up to five times more when the drugs were smuggled out to other countries.
"Another factor is because of the geographic position of our country, which is strategically near the Golden Triangle.
"These drugs' worth is four to five times higher in other countries, which is why syndicates take advantage of the situation to smuggle the drugs in before smuggling them back out," he said at the Subang Jaya police headquarters today.
The "Golden Triangle" region includes parts of Myanmar, China, Laos and Thailand.
The region is said to provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of opium, which is used to make morphine and heroin.
Khaw said: "On the number of routes involved, I cannot give an exact figure because these routes are constantly changing."
He added that police previously crippled syndicates that smuggled the drugs in only to repackage them and send them to neighbouring countries.
It was reported that police have dismantled 193 drug syndicates in the country between January and September, resulting in the arrest of 612 people.
This was a decline compared with 245 syndicates and 791 people arrested during the same period last year.
Five drug syndicates were dismantled in the Klang Valley, Johor and Kelantan between Oct 1 and 12.
Thirteen syndicate members were arrested and 1,418kg of drugs worth RM75 million were seized.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said during the federal police monthly assembly that drug trafficking in Malaysia had evolved over the years — from traditional substances such as opium, marijuana and heroin in the 1960's to the trend of synthetic drugs like amphetamines, methamphetamines and psychotropics from the 1990's onwards.
"As the focal point responsible for combating drug abuse and trafficking, the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department must remain vigilant and proactive, staying abreast of the latest global drug trends that are more sophisticated and complex," he was quoted as saying.