The police are increasingly concerned about changing drug trends in the region, including the possibility of Malaysia being used as a cocaine-producing hub.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the police were monitoring the situation.
“We’re gathering intelligence and have strengthened enforcement measures to mitigate risks of cocaine production,” Razarudin told the New Sunday Times.
In January, a raid on a cocaine-processing laboratory in Jalan Klang Lama made headlines, with police arresting a foreign “cook” and seizing RM8 million worth of drugs and equipment.
The cook, who holds Hong Kong and British passports, had entered the country as a tourist two weeks earlier.
Police said investigations were looking into the possibility of the drug lab being linked to Latin American cartels.
In that raid, police seized 2.2 litres and 2.6kg of cocaine in liquid and solid forms, respectively.
Last year, police seized 46.6kg of cocaine in Kuala Lumpur, double the amount of cocaine seized the year before.
Razarudin said such incidents involving cocaine were “rare”, more so as 2024 saw a decline in cocaine-related busts from the preceding year, but police were not leaving anything to chance.
“We work closely with regional counterparts and international law enforcement agencies, including the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Australian Federal Police, Indonesian National Police, Badan Narkotika Nasional (Indonesia), Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore, Royal Thai Police and the Phillippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“We share intelligence and coordinate operations to dismantle drug syndicates.”
The collaborations, he said, had been instrumental in identifying and intercepting syndicates attempting to use Malaysia as a transit or production point.
He said while historically Malaysia had not been a significant market for cocaine, there was concern that syndicates were targeting local and regional markets.
“This trend underscores the importance of strengthening enforcement measures and regional cooperation to address changing demand patterns effectively.”
Razarudin said intelligence revealed that most of the cocaine police seized were intended for foreigners residing in Malaysia, including those from Latin America and Africa.
Some of the drugs were also meant for Middle Eastern syndicates to be smuggled to other countries overseas.
However, Razarudin said, there was no evidence to suggest that Latin American cartels were setting up cocaine labs in Malaysia, though the police were well aware of their evolving tactics, including the use of “advanced smuggling methods” like narco-submarines.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd