Police Arrest Student Courier With RM1.17 Million Ganja Haul at Bukit Kayu Hitam

KUALA LUMPUR, June – 2026 —Police have seized 14.63 kilogrammes of ganja buds worth an estimated RM1.17 million from a vehicle at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex in Kedah, in what authorities described as a significant drug smuggling bust at the Malaysia-Thailand border.

The operation led to the arrest of a 24-year-old Malaysian man, who police said is also a student at a private higher education institution in Kuala Lumpur. The suspect was detained during an enforcement operation on Monday after police inspected the vehicle he was driving.

Kedah deputy police chief DCP Baderulhisham Baharudin said the drugs were discovered inside a family-owned four-wheel-drive vehicle. During inspection, police found 13 black plastic packages containing substances believed to be ganja buds hidden beneath the rear passenger seat.

According to police, the total value of the seized drugs was estimated at RM1.17 million. Authorities also estimated that the ganja could have supplied around 73,150 addicts if it had successfully reached the market.

The seizure has raised concern over the continued use of Malaysia’s northern entry points by drug syndicates attempting to smuggle illegal substances into the country. Bukit Kayu Hitam is one of the busiest land gateways connecting Malaysia and Thailand, making it a strategic route often monitored by enforcement agencies.

Preliminary investigations found that the suspect was believed to have acted as a courier for a drug smuggling syndicate. Police said the syndicate allegedly brought drug supplies into Malaysia from a neighbouring country before distributing them to markets in Kuala Lumpur and Johor.

The syndicate’s alleged method involved obtaining drug supplies from the Danok area in Thailand, hiding the packages beneath the rear passenger seat of the vehicle and bringing them into Malaysia through the Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS Complex.

Police believe the use of a family-owned vehicle may have been intended to avoid suspicion during border checks. By hiding the drugs inside the passenger area rather than in an obvious cargo space, the syndicate may have hoped the vehicle would pass through inspection without attracting attention.

However, police inspection at the entry point led to the discovery of the hidden packages. The case shows how syndicates continue to adapt their smuggling tactics, including using ordinary vehicles and individual couriers to move illegal substances across borders.

DCP Baderulhisham said the suspect allegedly claimed he became involved in the smuggling activity on May 25. The suspect also allegedly admitted to having smuggled drug supplies into the country on four previous occasions, delivering the items to locations instructed by the syndicate.

Police said the suspect was allegedly paid RM4,000 for each delivery. This suggests the syndicate may have recruited individuals willing to take high legal risks in exchange for quick payment.

The involvement of a student has also drawn attention, as it reflects how drug syndicates may attempt to exploit young adults or individuals who may be financially vulnerable. Authorities are expected to investigate whether the suspect acted alone at the point of entry or was being guided by handlers from a wider network.

Further investigations are now underway to identify the full structure of the syndicate. Police are looking into the source of supply, the distribution chain and other individuals who may have been involved in planning, financing, transporting or receiving the drugs.

The investigation is also expected to focus on whether the previous alleged deliveries followed the same route through Bukit Kayu Hitam, and whether the drugs were always intended for urban markets such as Kuala Lumpur and Johor.

Police said the suspect tested positive for ganja. He has been remanded for six days until Sunday to assist investigations.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, one of Malaysia’s most serious drug trafficking provisions. If convicted, offenders may face the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping.

Section 39B is typically applied in cases involving trafficking or possession of large quantities of dangerous drugs. Given the amount seized in this case, police are treating the matter as a serious trafficking investigation rather than simple possession.

The RM1.17 million seizure is also significant because ganja buds carry high market value and are often distributed in smaller quantities after entering the country. Once broken down into retail-level supply, such drugs can spread quickly through local networks.

Police said enforcement operations will continue to be intensified, particularly at the country’s entry points. Border areas remain a key focus for anti-narcotics operations because syndicates often attempt to use land crossings, rural routes and hidden vehicle compartments to avoid detection.

The Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS Complex plays an important role in controlling cross-border movement between Malaysia and Thailand. Apart from passenger and commercial traffic, enforcement authorities also monitor the area for smuggling involving drugs, contraband goods and other illegal items.

Drug smuggling cases at border checkpoints often require coordination between multiple enforcement units, including police, customs and immigration authorities. Intelligence gathering, vehicle profiling and inspection procedures are crucial in identifying suspicious movements before drugs reach domestic distribution networks.

In this case, the seizure prevented a large quantity of ganja from entering the Malaysian drug market. Police estimated that the seized drugs had the potential to affect tens of thousands of users, making the bust a major disruption to the syndicate’s supply chain.

The case also highlights the broader challenge faced by law enforcement agencies in dealing with cross-border drug trafficking. Syndicates often operate across state and national boundaries, using couriers to reduce direct exposure of higher-level organisers.

For that reason, police investigations are unlikely to stop at the arrest of the courier. Authorities are expected to trace phone records, financial transactions, travel routes and possible contacts linked to the suspect in order to identify the syndicate’s wider network.

Members of the public have been urged to provide information related to drug trafficking and smuggling activities. Police said information can be channelled to any nearby police station or through the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department hotline at 012-2087222.

the arrest of the student courier and the seizure of RM1.17 million worth of ganja mark a major drug bust at Bukit Kayu Hitam. The case is now being investigated as part of a wider effort to identify the syndicate behind the smuggling operation and prevent illegal drugs from reaching markets in Kuala Lumpur, Johor and other parts of the country.