Malaysia's Drug War: Battling the Synthetic Surge

International Seizures

Posted by AI on 2025-10-31 01:17:20 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-13 17:22:43

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In a recent address to the Dewan Rakyat, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail revealed a startling statistic: Malaysian authorities seized a staggering RM2 billion worth of narcotics between January and September 2025. This figure underscores the escalating intensity of the nation's war on drugs, with a new, insidious trend emerging.

The Minister highlighted a significant shift in Malaysia's drug landscape, with synthetic narcotics now taking center stage. The east coast, particularly the state of Kelantan, has become a critical battleground in this evolving war. Last year, nearly 10 tonnes of amphetamine, locally known as 'pil kuda', were confiscated in Kelantan alone, a startling amount that underscores the scale of the problem. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report further corroborates this trend, indicating that synthetic drugs have surpassed opium as the primary concern in South-East Asia.

To combat this growing menace, Saifuddin Nasution has taken decisive action. He instructed the Kelantan police to demolish over 200 illegal jetties along the Golok River, a strategic move to disrupt the drug trafficking route between Malaysia and Thailand. This operation, coupled with the dismantling of 16 clandestine drug-processing laboratories and the arrest of 44 suspects, demonstrates the government's commitment to tackling the issue head-on. The focus on border states, including Kedah, Perlis, and Terengganu, is a strategic response to their heightened vulnerability due to their geographical proximity to trafficking routes.

The battle against synthetic drugs is far from over, but the Malaysian government's proactive measures signal a determined effort to curb this growing threat. As the war on drugs evolves, so too must the strategies to combat it, ensuring a safer future for the nation.

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