SHAH ALAM: Security protocols at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will be reviewed following an influx of drug smuggling cases detected at the country’s main gateway, says Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan.
The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director said meetings with stakeholders and the Transport Ministry will be held to see how best to prevent more of such cases.
“I do not wish to disclose the specific procedures of safety but we see the need to improve upon it for both passengers and cargo at KLIA.
“The Transport Ministry has mooted a revision of the standard operating procedure,” he said.
Comm Hussein said while priority at KLIA has been on the smuggling of firearms and other contraband, authorities have agreed to add drugs into the same level of priority, security-wise.
He said that the police were looking into insider involvement at the airport such as counter-setting operations.
Asked on the current detection and security screening system at KLIA, he said the standards complied with specifications set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Police recorded a sixfold surge in KLIA drug cases compared to last year, with 1.3 tonnes of narcotics seized between January and July alone, said Comm Hussein.
A total of 108 cases had been identified within the same period with 121 arrests made, of which 52 were foreigners.
“The drugs seized is estimated to be valued at around RM108mil, compared to the RM18.4mil seized last year,” he added.
Comm Hussein said anti-narcotics enforcement officers at KLIA had carried out drug stings between July 27 and 31, which saw the arrest of 13 suspected drug mules.
A total of 260.08kg of marijuana buds and 1.01kg of cocaine were seized with the estimated value placed at RM21.26mil.
He said drug syndicates have identified KLIA as a hub to traffic narcotics.
“The traffickers operate on a simple concept. They will try 10 times, and perhaps two or three attempts may succeed.
“It does not mean the system has failed 100%, but it means their attempts got through. That is why they continue repeating their attempts to smuggle drugs out of KLIA,” he added.
Comm Hussein said based on their tickets, most of the suspects were flying to the United Kingdom.
“They would then connect to other countries in Europe, with the key countries being the UK and France.”
