Narcotics enforcement and port security in South and SE Asia

Law enforcement agencies in Pakistan, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka have engaged in significant narcotics operations and security upgrades to combat drug trafficking.

In Pakistan and Malaysia, police conducted raids resulting in the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine, hashish, and cannabis. In Lahore, Pakistan, authorities arrested eight individuals and seized crystal meth and hashish. In Malaysia, ‘Op Tebuan’ targeted an international syndicate, seizing 210kg of methamphetamine and 69kg of cannabis buds valued at RM18.16 million. Investigators noted the syndicate used drug mules to ship substances to locations including London.

In Sri Lanka, the government announced plans to install advanced container scanners at major ports following an August seizure at the Colombo Port, where 471kg of crystal methamphetamine, referred to as “Ice,” was discovered concealed in towels within containers arriving from Pakistan.

Furthering these enforcement efforts, Sri Lanka Customs’ Narcotics Control Unit recently intercepted a shipment of illegal narcotics valued at over Rs. 67.53 million at the Central Mail Exchange in Colombo. The seizure involved 11 international postal parcels disguised as books, arriving from countries including Thailand, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Among the seized items were over 3.1 kilograms of Kush cannabis and approximately 2,395 grams of MDMA (Ecstasy) pills. The largest portion of MDMA, valued at Rs. 33.03 million, was found in a single parcel from Belgium, while 33 grams of ‘Mandy’ (powdered MDMA) were recovered from a parcel from the Netherlands. The contraband has been handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for investigation.