KOTA KINABALU: Drug smuggling activities in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) are becoming increasingly complex and organised, posing a persistent security threat.
Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) commander Datuk Victor Sanjos, who revealed this, said there was a marked shift in the modus operandi of the syndicates involved.
He said no drug seizures over certain periods should not be mistaken as the absence of a threat.
Rather, it was syndicates turning to more covert methods, including smaller-scale deliveries or alternative routes to evade detection, contributing to a “dark figure of crime” in such activities, he added.
“Syndicates are believed to be increasingly creative, using unofficial sea routes such as rat trails, fast and pump boats, while operating in layers through the use of runners to minimise risk to the masterminds.
“Remote areas in the waters of eastern Sabah have also been identified as temporary transit points, where activities are believed to be conducted at night to avoid detection by authorities,” he told Bernama.
Victor said the geographical landscape of ESSZone surrounded by numerous islands and open sea routes, coupled with limited assets relative to the vast operational area and constantly evolving tactics using small, fast and hard-to-detect boats, are among the factors making syndicates difficult to track.
“Economic factors also drive individuals to seek lucrative income while domestic drug demand remains high, with the modus operandi including disguising activities as fishing operations or using small boats to avoid detection by authorities,” he said.
As such, Victor said Esscom has adopted a strategy centred on smart enforcement based on strategic intelligence and crime trend analysis to enable more targeted action in high-risk areas.
He said the approach involves integrated operations with the police, armed forces and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, focusing on leakage routes such as unofficial jetties and open border areas.
He said the “hotspot targeting” method is also used to identify key transit areas frequently linked to cross-border smuggling activities, and to assess threat levels through operational data analysis such as number of arrests, value of seizures and intrusion attempts.
Victor said community intelligence and cross-border crime linkages were also taken into account to enable dynamic threat assessment and support more targeted and effective operations.
He said intelligence cooperation with neighbouring countries to curb transnational syndicate networks was carried out through continuous information sharing between security agencies such as Esscom and the police with Indonesian and Philippine authorities.
“Strengthening security assets, including interceptor boats, radar systems and use of technology such as drones, is crucial to monitor hotspots, besides enhancing legislation with stricter penalties and asset forfeiture to curb syndicate involvement comprehensively, including masterminds operating from abroad,” he said.
On March 18, police seized 53.85kg of drugs worth nearly RM2.6mil in two separate cases at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport and Tawau, which was among the largest drug busts in Sabah.
