Bukit Aman: Six Malaysians detained in Cambodia over UK-bound drug smuggling case identified
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the suspects were all men aged between 27 and 70.
He said preliminary information regarding the arrests was obtained through the Foreign Ministry, but no official notification had been received from the Cambodian authorities to date.
'PDRM will work with the Foreign Ministry through the Malaysian Embassy in Cambodia to obtain further details and investigation outcomes from the Cambodian authorities. Further investigation will be carried out to identify the syndicates involved,' he told Bernama when contacted yesterday.
He said initial investigations had yet to determine whether the case was linked to any international drug trafficking syndicates operating from Malaysia.
In a related development, Hussein advised Malaysians to be more cautious and not to fall easily for online job offers promising high salaries, especially those involving the delivery of packages overseas without knowledge of their contents.
He also reminded the public to remain vigilant against the modus operandi of international drug syndicates that target Malaysians as drug mules.
Yesterday, The Phnom Penh Post reported that the six men were arrested by Cambodia's Anti-Drug Department in collaboration with customs and airport authorities, with the drugs found in four suitcases.
The suspects were believed to be planning to travel to London via Hong Kong.
All six are expected to be charged under Article 40 of Cambodia's Law on Drug Control. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Fiery exchange at the border
Jet strikes and shelling kill civilians as Thailand-Cambodia tensions boil over A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed targets in Cambodia, both sides said, as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into clashes that have killed at least 12 people, including 11 civilians. Of the six F-16 fighter jets that Thailand readied to deploy along the disputed border, one of the aircraft fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target, the Thai army said. Both countries accused each other of starting the clash yesterday. 'We have used air power against military targets as planned,' Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. Thailand also closed its border with Cambodia. Cambodia's defence ministry said the jets dropped two bombs on a road, and that it 'strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia'. The skirmishes came after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia late on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia's envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently in the disputed area. A man looking at the damage to Phanom Dong Rak hospital in Surin province, Thailand, after Cambodia fired artillery shells. — Agencies Thailand's health minister said 11 civilians, including a child, and one soldier were killed in artillery shelling by Cambodian forces while 24 civilians and seven military personnel were wounded. There was no immediate word of casualties in Cambodia. 'The Thai Army condemns Cambodia for using weapons to attack civilians in Thailand. 'Thailand is ready to protect sovereignty and our people from inhumane action,' the country's military said in a statement. China expressed concern at the fighting and said it was willing to play a role in promoting de-escalation. Thai residents including children and the elderly ran to shelters built of concrete and fortified with sandbags and car tyres in the Surin border province. 'How many rounds have been fired? It's countless,' an unidentified woman told the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS) while hiding in the shelter as gunfire and explosions were heard intermittently in the background. Cambodia's foreign ministry said Thailand's airstrikes were 'unprovoked' and called on its neighbour to withdraw its forces and 'refrain from any further provocative actions that could escalate the situation'. For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817km land border, which has led to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a week-long exchange of artillery in 2011. People resting at a shelter following recent clashes along the disputed border between the two countries in Surin province. — Agencies Tensions were reignited in May following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, which escalated into a full-blown diplomatic crisis and now has triggered armed clashes. The clashes began early yesterday near the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple along the border between Cambodia and Thailand, about 360km east of Bangkok. Thailand's Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told reporters the deaths took place across three border provinces and included an eight-year-old boy in Surin. He added that the Cambodian shelling included a strike on a hospital in Surin province, which he said should be considered a war crime. 'Artillery shell fell on people's homes,' Sutthirot Charoenthanasak, district chief of Kabcheing in Surin province, said, adding that authorities had evacuated 40,000 civilians from 86 border villages to safer locations. 'Two people have died,' he added. Video footage showed a plume of thick black smoke rising from a gas station in the neighbouring Thai Sisaket province, as firefighters rushed to extinguish the blaze. A total of eight people have been killed and 15 wounded in Sisaket, the health minister said, adding that another person was killed in the border province of Ubon Ratchathani. The army said Cambodia deployed a surveillance drone before sending troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers, to an area near the Ta Moan Thom temple. A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry, however, said there had been an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops and Cambodian forces had responded in self-defence. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the situation was delicate. 'We have to be careful,' he told reporters. 'We will follow international law.' — Reuters
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Six arrested over controversial Selangor ‘eHati' event as JAIS probes false doctrine, insult to Islam
SHAH ALAM, July 25 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has detained six individuals in connection with the controversial eHati marriage motivation programme held from Sept 27–30 last year at a convention centre here. JAIS director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the suspects, two men and four women aged between 26 and 47, were picked up in Shah Alam on July 18. He said investigations were opened under Sections 7 (false doctrine), 8 (false claims), 10 (insulting Islam) and 16 (unauthorised religious publications) of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995. 'The investigation was launched following suspicions that a ritual or ceremony contrary to Islamic teachings was held during the programme,' he said in a statement yesterday. To date, JAIS has recorded statements from 38 witnesses and identified 282 participants whose statements will also be taken. Three books and three VCDs seized from the event have been submitted to the Selangor Mufti Department for review. He said a comprehensive investigation into the programme's full content and module is ongoing, and findings will be submitted to the Selangor Syariah Prosecution Department for further action. On July 16, Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed reports of nude scenes involving four women during a segment called 'Queens Night'. That same day, six individuals, including the husband-and-wife founders of the programme and their child, were remanded for three days to assist in a separate investigation into indecent behaviour and minor offences. — Bernama
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
No ‘magic mushroom' vapes
KUALA LUMPUR: There is no 'magic mushroom' in vape liquids despite claims on social media, says Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan. The newly appointed Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director said lab tests conducted by the Chemistry Department on seized vape liquids allegedly containing hallucinogenic mushrooms showed no presence of the substance. It revealed the presence of illegal substances, particularly synthetic cannabinoids, such as MDMB-4en-PINACA and its analogues. 'This modus operandi shows that psychoactive substances are being infused into vape liquids as a delivery method for drugs. 'Other seized liquids also contained stimulant drugs like methamphetamine and MDMA, reflecting new forms of abuse through electronic devices,' he said in a statement yesterday. He said claims of dried mushrooms or hallucinogenic natural drops being used in vape products were inaccurate and likely part of a manipulation tactic by the drug distributors. 'Distributors are deliberately branding synthetic substances as 'magic mushrooms' to attract young users, especially school students,' Comm Hussein said. Although cases involving students remain isolated, he said the trend is causing concern due to its potential impact on youth. 'To date, no official evidence has been found of dried mushrooms or drugs being mixed into chocolates or candies as widely alleged,' he added. Comm Hussein said the NCID has launched a nationwide intelligence operation to investigate the growing abuse of vapes laced with illicit substances among teenagers. 'From 2024 to March 2025, we recorded 64 cases of vape liquid seizures. 'In the first three months of this year, we have already recorded 32 cases, indicating a significant rise in monthly averages,' Comm Hussein said. He also stressed that the misuse of vape devices as a medium for drug delivery is a growing reality that needs urgent intervention. 'We urge the public to rely on verified information from official sources such as the police, the National Anti-Drugs Agency or the Health Ministry, and to avoid spreading unverified viral content that could cause unnecessary panic. 'There is a clear need to include education on the dangers of synthetic drug-laced vapes in school syllabi and to intensify awareness campaigns, especially among students. 'Parents should closely monitor their children's activities and belongings, and have open discussions about the risks of vaping and drug use.' He also backed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay's recent call to ban the sale of vape products at the state level as part of broader efforts to curb drug abuse. He noted that the government is currently refining regulatory mechanisms for vape products, with the Health Ministry and enforcement agencies considering a stricter licensing framework. 'This includes laboratory testing of vape liquids and tighter controls on sales to minors. 'The police are also intensifying surveillance of online vape sales involving illicit substances. 'Enforcement efforts now go beyond physical checks – we are monitoring the digital space as well. 'If anyone has information regarding drug abuse or distribution, we urge them to contact the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222,' he added.
