
Police call for AI-monitoring system at courier centres to screen for drugs
The move follows the latest bust involving the seizure of RM7.2 million worth of cocaine-laced vapes and equipment.
Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department Director Datuk Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali said they believed the syndicate planned on shipping the drugs out via courier service to interested parties abroad.
"We believe courier centres will greatly benefit from using artificial intelligence monitoring systems to screen parcels and shipments for drugs," he said when contacted today.
Yesterday, it was reported that police crippled the country's first-known cocaine vape distribution syndicate following the arrest of four men, including three Singaporeans, in Ampang Jaya last week.
The arrests were carried out on June 19, following intelligence received on their activities.
The first suspect, a 57-year-old local, was detained along with two Singaporeans, aged 46 and 25, in a Toyota Vellfire parked at the exit lane of a hotel in Ampang Jaya.
A fourth suspect, a 31-year-old Singaporean, was nabbed shortly after at the lobby of the same hotel.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 10 boxes containing 4,958 vape cartridges filled with liquid suspected to be cocaine, amounting to 9,420ml, where the stash was found in the rear passenger seat area," he told reporters here today.
The total street value of the drugs is estimated at RM7.29 million and is enough to supply nearly 5,000 addicts.
The syndicate is believed to have been operating since March this year, using rented condominiums around the capital as packaging hubs before distributing the cocaine-laced vape liquids to international markets.
The cocaine had been fully processed and was ready for distribution before the suspects were detained.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Three people, including two Malaysians, in Singapore to be charged over suspected involvement in scams
The public is reminded to never transfer money, cash, or other valuables to unknown persons, said the police. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Three people are slated to be charged on Monday (Aug 18) over their suspected involvement in two separate cases of scams. Two of them, Malaysian men aged 39 and 45, allegedly scammed their victims by pretending to be the police or from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said the police in a statement on Aug 17. The scammers told their victims that they had been implicated in crimes such as carrying out unauthorised bank transactions or money laundering, and were required to surrender their money for investigations, said the police. The victims then transferred money to the scammers' accounts and gave them money and valuables such as gold bars and luxury watches in person. The two men, allegedly from the same scam syndicate, were arrested separately at Woodlands Checkpoint and in the vicinity of People's Park Complex on Aug 16. Both men had been instructed by the syndicate to come to Singapore to collect money from victims, preliminary investigations showed. They are believed to be involved in other similar cases and were facilitating the scam syndicate to retain benefits from criminal conduct, said the police. The third person to be charged is a 32-year-old Singaporean woman suspected of providing fraudulently registered post-paid SIM cards for monetary gain. She allegedly asked for the help of two others to register a shell company to apply for more than 600 SIM cards with telco company Simba in June and July. The cards were given to an unknown person for monetary gain of between $40 and $48 each. She was arrested at Changi Airport on Aug 17. The two men will be charged with the offence of abetment by conspiracy to assist another to benefit from criminal conduct. If found guilty, they may be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to $500,000, or both. The woman faces charges of transacting SIM cards registered using another person's personal information for criminal activity. If found guilty, she may be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000, or both. The public is reminded to never transfer money, cash or other valuables to unknown persons, said the police. They should also take note that government officials will never transfer a phone call to the police, ask people to install mobile applications from unofficial app stores, or ask for money or bank log-in details. - The Straits Times/ANN


New Straits Times
16 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Thai police seize Malaysian-registered Vellfire in cross-border drug bust
SUNGAI GOLOK: Thai police seized a Malaysian-registered Toyota Vellfire MPV among 13 assets worth nearly RM2 million in a cross-border drug syndicate crackdown. The raids which began on Thursday targeted five locations around Sungai Golok, involving the Narcotics Control Board Region 9, Region 9 police and the Southern Border Special Operations Centre, reported Kosmo. Several suspects were arrested, while others fled. Police are continuing their hunt. The operation followed last month's arrest of a dealer with 650kg of syabu in Ban LuBo Kong, Pasemas, Sungai Golok. Authorities seized luxury cars, high-powered motorcycles, jet skis and firearms in the raid. One MPV carried a Malaysian plate number. Thai police said they would work with Malaysian police to widen investigations into the cross-border network.

Barnama
2 days ago
- Barnama
Top News Headlines In Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam: Aug 16, 2025
The Ministry of National Defence said that the ASEAN Interim Observation Team completed its two-day mission to assess security along the Cambodia-Thailand border. The Malaysian defence attache led the seven-member team. The government is engaging the China Centre for Language Education and Cooperation to improve the quality of Chinese language teachers in Cambodia. The move enhances cooperation in the education sector. 1. MEKONG-LANCANG TO BE MORE DEVELOPMENT-CENTRIC -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR The Mekong-Lancang Cooperation is focusing on critical areas. Agriculture development, energy security, tackling transnational crimes, water resources, and climate change were highlighted at the 10th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Yunnan Province. 2. LAND PERMIT RENEWAL FOR MANGO GROWERS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Authorities have directed mango growers in Nay Pyi Taw to apply for permits by August 31 before the season begins. The permit is to legitimise the use of land where they are currently farming. PHILIPPINES 1. TROUGH OF LPA, 'HABAGAT' TO BRING RAINS ACROSS PH -- PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY The trough of a low-pressure area (LPA) and the southwest monsoon or 'habagat' will bring rains in most parts of the country, the weather bureau said Saturday. 2. PBBM'S PLAN TO BUILD 10 MODERN FISH PORTS TO BOOST FOOD SECURITY -- PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Saturday said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s plan to establish 10 state-of-the-art fish ports nationwide is a vital step toward enhancing the country's food security. SINGAPORE 1. DRUG TRAFFICKER GETS DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED AFTER PRESIDENT THARMAN GRANTS CLEMENCY -- THE STRAITS TIMES A man who was on death row for drug trafficking has had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment after succeeding in his petition for clemency, which is rarely granted. 2. THE TRUTH ABOUT WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN EUROPE, AS TOLD BY SINGAPOREAN EXPATS -- CNA Fresh into his first office job in France in 2024, Mr Ruzaini Mazani was all set to reply to a sales lead right away. However, his manager advised the opposite: play it cool and let the prospect wait. THAILAND 1. THAI HOTELS BRACE FOR Q3 DIP IN FOREIGN TOURISTS AS NEARLY ONE-THIRD EXPECT CHINESE GUESTS DROP OVER 30 PCT -- THE NATION Thai hotels predict a Q3 slowdown in foreign visitors, with almost a third expecting Chinese guests to fall by more than 30 per cent due to safety concerns. 2. OPPOSITION PEOPLE'S PARTY REJECTS 2026 BUDGET BILL IN FINAL READING -- BANGKOK POST The People's Party (PP) has resolved to vote against the 2026 fiscal budget bill during its third and final reading in Parliament on Friday, saying the government's spending plan failed to reflect the current economic situation. VIETNAM 1. GOVT MONITORING AIRFARES DURING PUBLIC HOLIDAYS -- VIETNAMPLUS The Civil Aviation Authority has ordered airlines to enforce strict pricing regulations during the upcoming 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day celebrations. Air travel is expected to surge during this period. 2 . VIETNAM ASSIST CUBA IN HEALTHCARE, CYBERSECURITY -- VIETNAM NEWS Vietnam and Cuba are expanding bilateral ties, with special focus on cybersecurity. Both governments agreed to collaborate in biotechnology, healthcare and explore agricultural cooperation to assist Cuba in achieving self-sufficiency. -- BERNAMA BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial