KUDOS to the police, especially Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) and the Customs Department’s narcotics branch (KDRM), for the seizure of ketamine and cocaine worth RM676 million in Shah Alam recently.
It was a well-planned operation, and there were strong leadership and good intelligence gathering and cooperation between the two law enforcement agencies.
Former Selangor police chief Datuk Mazlan Mansor (now deputy inspector-general of police) said some 71kg of syabu seized in a factory in Semenyih, Selangor, in June could supply 142,000 addicts for one day.
Just imagine the damage that can be caused by 500kg of drugs.
Last year, 4.4 tonnes of syabu (methamphetamine) were seized — more than the total of the previous four years. This situation is alarming.
A few weeks ago, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador warned that drug abuse in the country was rampant and at breaking point.
The country risked turning into a drug hub if the problem was not tackled. He said even policemen had been caught abusing drugs.
Sometimes, we have bad apples in law enforcement agencies.
The agencies must identify and prevent their officers from working with drug dealers and syndicates, or accepting money in exchange for police protection.
Last March, a senior police officer claimed trial at the Sessions Court to four counts of accepting RM1.35 million to sweep a drug-related case under the carpet.
No one, not even a police officer, is above the law. Our IGP is walking the talk. Under Hamid’s leadership, there are more operations to raid drug dens and cripple syndicates.
However, he needs support from his senior officers, law enforcement agencies and citizens in the fight against drug lords because they are an influential and dangerous lot.
For many organised crime syndicates, drug profits are their main income.
They have become increasingly creative in money laundering, turning the menace into a “legitimate business” that has weakened the rule of law.
Most of the drugs, especially methamphetamine, are produced in the Golden Triangle and the drug syndicates are operating mostly in the Mekong Valley.
The Golden Triangle is one of the main drug-producing regions in the world and trades illicit drugs worth trillions of dollars yearly.
According to the police, the drugs that go through Malaysia are mostly meant for the overseas market, but some are diverted to the local market as well.
To address this problem, the nation needs well-trained law enforcement officers of high integrity and intelligence procurement capabilities.
However, gathering reliable information is not an easy task.
Many have no interest in reporting the matter to the authorities. The public must assist by providing information to law enforcement agencies.
The police and KDRM should exchange information and establish inclusive training programmes to ensure that their officers are aware of current drug issues.
Special training in big data analysis and surveillance of the dark web should be established to curb drug trade in the digital age.
Recruit more sources and informants to provide information on drug syndicates and organised crimes.
The government should increase its allocation to procure modern technology.
Bukit Aman NCID director Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd has said the police need technological capabilities to improve its effectiveness in fighting drug trafficking.
He said improvements in technical support were urgently needed due to the evolution in drug-related crimes.
Drug syndicates could be more advanced than law enforcers.
Combating the trafficking and sale of illicit drugs also requires international cooperation on top of strong national policies on prohibition and enforcement.
Thailand is working with China to prevent drugs from entering the latter’s shores. Asean needs to work together in exchanging intelligence, especially with the authorities in Thailand and Myanmar, where the Golden Triangle is located.
In Malaysia, possession of drugs is a serious offence, with capital punishment under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
But even this deterrence does not seem to be working as more people are convicted and sentenced to death.
To interrupt their cash flow, syndicate members and criminals should be charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 200l, or the Income Tax Act 1997, whereby the proceeds of drug trafficking can be frozen and seized.
We need to find some light at the end of the tunnel to rid ourselves of this great evil or we will suffer terrible consequences.
The writer holds a professional chair in crime and criminology, Institute of Crime & Criminology, HELP University, and is the former immediate president of Transparency International Malaysia