KUALA LUMPUR: From narcotics to endangered wildlife, and with smugglers exploiting outbound routes, experts warn of the urgent need to tighten screening for departing travellers.
A worrying trend has also surfaced with drug trafficking syndicates recruiting pilots and cabin crew to act as couriers.
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Criminologist Dr Zalmizy Hussin said Malaysia was increasingly being used as a transit and export hub for narcotics, stressing that enforcement should not focus solely on arrivals but give equal attention to outbound travellers.
He said while past efforts focused on preventing drugs from entering the country, lax checks on departures aid international syndicates.
“Screenings should be balanced with high-risk groups such as flight crew subject to more exit inspections given their frequent travel.”
Zalmizy said relying on sophisticated scanning equipment would not solve the problem if syndicates continued exploiting human weaknesses.
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He urged reducing human intervention by deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse X-ray images, rotating frontline officers every three months to minimise the risk of collusion with syndicates and strengthening whistleblower protections to encourage reporting of misconduct.
“Many may be aware of irregularities but are reluctant to come forward,” he said.
Zalmizy also urged the Transport Ministry to implement three immediate measures within 30 days to strengthen airport security.
These include conducting comprehensive audits of flight crew and ground staff with access to restricted areas – covering drug tests and financial background checks – and mandatory 100% baggage screening for all crew members departing the country.
He also called for the creation of a special KLIA task force comprising the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, Aviation Security, the police and Malaysia Airlines to coordinate enforcement efforts and report directly to the Transport Minister.
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Zalmizy warned that the country risked damaging both its aviation industry and international reputation if integrity issues were not addressed.
“We can have the most advanced scanning machines in the world but if integrity can be bought, the system will still fail.
“This is a test for the nation – we must decide whether to continue applying temporary fixes or carry out comprehensive reforms.
“The future of our aviation industry and the nation’s image is at stake,” he said.
He added that syndicates were now recruiting professionals as “trusted drug mules”.
“Pilots and cabin crew are viewed as ideal couriers because they are less likely to arouse suspicion and often have access to dedicated airport channels,” he said.
The lucrative rewards offered by international drug syndicates, he said, were a key factor driving aviation personnel into smuggling operations.
Crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim concurred, saying screening of outbound travellers typically focused on tax evasion, cash or dangerous items, while drug checks were more thorough on arrivals.
He said that although costly to maintain, sniffer dogs were the most effective detection tool.
Contact‑based methods such as bag swabbing, used in Australia, could also reveal traces of illicit substances, he said.
“Artificial intelligence can monitor behaviour patterns, such as pacing, and provide grounds for reasonable doubt, but it is not foolproof,” he said, adding that the government should invest in training intelligence officers and strengthen government‑to‑government cooperation.”
Malaysians Against Rape, Assault and Snatch Thief (Marah) founder Dave Avran said recent cases suggest international drug syndicates were increasingly targeting Malaysians as disposable drug couriers, exploiting financial hardship and other personal vulnerabilities.
“Something very ugly is developing around Malaysia’s borders and dismissing these incidents as isolated cases of poor decisions is no longer good enough,” he said.
Avran referred to several recent arrests involving Malaysians in neighbouring countries.
“The syndicate valued three individuals’ freedom, futures and possibly their lives at just RM24,000,” he said.
He said the pattern showed that organised crime groups were recruiting people from diverse backgrounds rather than relying on the stereotypical profile of drug mules.
“The pilot isn’t the stereotypical drug mule. Then look at the 22-year-old arrested in Surabaya.
“Financial problems, debt and the lure of quick money are the vulnerabilities syndicates exploit.
“They don’t care who you are, only whether you are useful, vulnerable and disposable. That should frighten us,” he said.
Avran said Malaysia’s strategic location, bordering Thailand and Singapore as well as surrounded by major maritime routes, made it particularly attractive to trafficking networks.
He urged authorities to treat every arrested courier as a valuable source of intelligence capable of exposing wider trafficking syndicates.
