Malaysia cracks down on drug-smuggling drones after foiled prison delivery

The Malaysian government has announced that it will be taking firm steps to combat the rise of drone smuggling in its prisons.

In a recent incident at Tapah prison, a drone carrying a dhobi bag with 122 grams of heroin and 12,9 grams of methamphetamine was spotted by a prison sergeant during a routine patrol on Saturday, August 10.

Apparently, there have been four previous cases of drug-smuggling drones at different prisons where heroin, marijuana, yaba pills and ketamine were seized.

This latest one seems to be the last straw and has prompted the Malaysian government to equip all prisons with anti-drone technology.

Though Tapah prison was already equipped with the anti-drone system, now every prison in the country will be equipped to intercept these high-flying smugglers.

Narcotics Crime Investigations Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin explained that although the drugs were successfully apprehended, no arrests were made since the drones were flown remotely, making it impossible to catch the culprit.

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Prisons Commissioner-General Datuk Seri Nordin Muhamad confirmed that the department is working closely with the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) to roll out this locally developed technology.

“The Malaysian Prisons Department is fully aware of the threat posed by drone intrusions aimed at smuggling prohibited items into prisons by the public. The department remains vigilant, and high-risk prison institutions, including Tapah Prison, have been equipped with Anti-Drone Systems and interception equipment to prevent such incidents,” he mentioned in a statement.

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Cases of drug-smuggling drones have also raised concerns about the ownership and operation of the remote control flying devices.

According to a United Nations staffer who is also a seasoned drone pilot, equipping high-security buildings and zones with signal jammers sometimes is still not enough since there are drones that can soar up to 5,000 metres or more.

Via Malay Mail & Asia News Network

Image by Pok Rie via Pexels

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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