PETALING JAYA: Drug syndicates have been arming themselves with firearms, posing a serious threat to public safety and law enforcement personnel, says Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin (pic).
Since taking over the NCID in March last year, the department has so far busted 27 firearm-related drug cases that led to the arrest of 56 individuals.
“We have intensified operations to disrupt the link between drug trafficking and firearms possession. These operations reflect our firm stance against armed drug syndicates nationwide.
“Over the past three years, the NCID has seized 70 firearms with most of them recovered during narcotics-related operations,” Comm Khaw said in an interview.
He said firearms used by drug traffickers in Malaysia are primarily smuggled from neighbouring countries, particularly across the Thai-Malaysian border.
Comm Khaw said weapons are acquired through illicit firearm networks that cater to organised crime groups and traffickers employ various smuggling tactics to evade detection.
This includes concealing the guns in hidden compartments of vehicles and smuggling them alongside other contraband.
“The guns are also disassembled and their parts sneaked into the country before it is reassembled for use again.
“The firearms linked to drug syndicates are often pistols and revolvers due to their compact size and can be carried easily.
“However, there have also been cases involving homemade air rifles, particularly among bigger syndicates that engage in large-scale drug distribution,” he said.
Comm Khaw said depending on the type and condition, the handguns are obtained for between RM3,000 and RM10,000 on the black market and resold in Malaysia at significantly higher prices based on demand.
He said findings and intelligence reports suggest that some drug syndicates provide firearms to their trusted associates, especially those involved in distribution and other heavy-handed tasks.
Comm Khaw said this was to protect their operations, deter rival groups and resist law enforcement operations.
However, he said through proactive intelligence gathering and targeted enforcement, police often manage to dismantle such criminal networks and disrupt their access to firearms.
“The NCID is not only combating drug trafficking but also eliminating the threat posed by armed drug syndicates.
“Every operation we conduct includes thorough searches for firearms ensuring that these weapons are seized before they can be used against innocent civilians or law enforcement personnel.
“Drug traffickers are wrong to believe they can operate with impunity. We are constantly seeking them and their whereabouts, eager to throw the book at them.
“We will continue to intensify our enforcement on those who acquire and possess firearms illegally,” he said.
Concerns over the illegal possession of firearms arose after a lone gunman with a crime record for a string of drug-related offences caused a scare to dwellers in the Klang Valley when he shot and injured a foreign worker at the Setia Alam shopping mall in Shah Alam on Saturday.
The shooter, who is still at large, also held up a family at gunpoint for almost an hour ordering them to drive him out of the mall during his getaway.
On Tuesday, a couple cheated death when a 22-year-old man opened fire at their house in Kampung Bukit Batu Machap in Kluang, Johor.
Police managed to capture the suspect and are hunting for his accomplices.
On Jan 31, marine police arrested four fishermen in Penang before seizing five pistols, a rifle and over 700 rounds of ammunition.
Investigators believe they were meant for drug syndicates and underworld groups in the state.
