TAWAU: Many individuals, lured by the promise of substantial payment for a single trip, find themselves facing imprisonment as ‘drug mules.’
This unfortunate fate has befallen numerous ‘drug mules’ in Sabah, who have been exploited by international trafficking syndicates.
According to Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto, Advisor to the Sabah Drug Prevention and Crime Organization (PPDJS), Sabah has emerged as a key transit point for drug smuggling, particularly methamphetamine, due to its strategic location bordering the Philippines and Indonesia, along with its vast and difficult-to-monitor maritime routes.
“Research indicates that international syndicates are aggressively recruiting locals, especially unemployed youth, tourists, young women, and the elderly, to serve as drug couriers, either physically or through courier services.
“This is evident from two significant arrests made by authorities in Sabah over the past two months, in March and April of this year.
“Their modus operandi is quite cunning. Some attempt to conceal drugs in luggage, canned food, printers, and even within individuals (‘body packing’). Many are enticed by the promise of high payments for a single service, unaware that they are being used as ‘drug mules,'” he stated today.
It has been reported that payments ranging from RM3,000 to RM20,000 are offered for each delivery, depending on the destination and the quantity of drugs involved. However, many individuals do not get the chance to enjoy these rewards as they are apprehended at airports, both domestically and internationally.
For context, the price of methamphetamine in Malaysia is estimated to be between RM150,000 and RM200,000 per kilogram, while in Australia and Indonesia, it can soar to as high as RM800,000. This situation positions Malaysia as a highly strategic transit point.
“Sabah is targeted because syndicates are aware that border control here is challenging due to the numerous land and sea routes. Compounding the issue, many fall prey to these schemes due to economic pressures and the desire for easy, substantial income,” added Zaki, who is also the Chairman of the Drug Rehabilitation Committee (JKPD) in Tawau.
“The public is advised to be cautious and not easily swayed by offers of overseas jobs or ‘opportunities for easy money’ that seem too good to be true. Typically, such enticing offers come with hidden traps.
“Do not gamble with your life for the sake of money. Once caught in this web, your life can be irrevocably damaged,” Zaki further emphasised.
Any information related to drug trafficking activities should be reported directly to the authorities, particularly the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), to help combat this crime.
