Malaysian police seize over 650 kg of cannabis at Kuala Lumpur airport

Malaysian police have seized more than 653 kg of cannabis buds at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in the first six months of this year and arrested 38 suspects.

According to Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar, the seizures were the result of joint operations carried out by the Royal Malaysia Police and KLIA security authorities to strengthen screening and enforcement at the country's main international gateway.

Speaking at a press conference on June 24, Shazeli said that most of the cannabis buds were brought into Malaysia from several Southeast Asian countries before being transported onward, particularly to destinations in Europe.

During the January-June period, police arrested 38 individuals in connection with the trafficking cases, with 28 of them already charged in court. Shazeli said it was difficult to determine the exact value of the seized drugs, as prices varied depending on transit routes and trafficking networks.

In the latest anti-drug operation conducted at KLIA between June 17 and 22, police carried out three raids and confiscated 171.6 kg of cannabis buds worth 13.73 million MYR (US$3.3 million). Four suspects were arrested, including a Malaysian believed to have acted as a drug courier.

The raids were conducted at KLIA Terminal 1, a hotel in Bandar Enstek in Negeri Sembilan state, and a house in Banting, Kuala Langat, believed to have been used to store the drugs. All four suspects have been remanded.