KLIA Drug Crackdown Sees 653.6kg of Cannabis Buds Seized and 38 Arrests in First Half of 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, June, 2026 — Police have seized a total of 653.6 kilogrammes of cannabis buds at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in the first six months of 2026, as enforcement agencies intensify airport screening against drug trafficking activities.

Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the seizures were the result of joint enforcement by the Royal Malaysia Police and KLIA security authorities, as both agencies continue tightening checks at one of the country’s most important entry and exit points.

Shazeli said the results showed the impact of stronger enforcement. He explained that without tighter screening and more serious enforcement action, authorities would not have been able to achieve such a large seizure volume.

Police believe most of the cannabis buds were brought into Malaysia from several Southeast Asian countries before being flown abroad, especially to Europe.

During the same January-to-June period, police arrested 38 individuals, with 28 of them already charged in court.

Shazeli said it was difficult to determine the total value of all seizures because the price of cannabis buds varies for each transit route and differs between syndicates.

The latest crackdown, conducted between June 17 and June 22, involved three raids and led to the seizure of 171.6kg of cannabis buds worth RM13.73 million. Four individuals were arrested, including one Malaysian believed to have acted as a drug mule.

The raids were carried out around KLIA Terminal 1, a hotel in Bandar Enstek, Negeri Sembilan, and a house in Banting, Kuala Langat, which police believe was used as a storage facility for cannabis buds.

Police also seized a sports utility vehicle and several foreign currencies during the operation. All four suspects have been remanded for seven days.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which covers serious drug trafficking offences.

According to The Star, the latest operations involved inspections at KLIA Terminal 1, followed by raids in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. Police found cannabis buds in luggage and later uncovered additional drugs at a house in Banting.

In one June 17 case, police flagged two pieces of luggage for scanning at KLIA and arrested a foreign man in his 30s after discovering 29.6kg of suspected cannabis buds worth around RM2.37 million.

On June 18, police arrested two men outside a hotel in Bandar Baru Enstek, where about 36kg of suspected cannabis buds were found in their luggage. One suspect later led police to a house in Banting, where another 72kg of cannabis buds worth about RM8.64 million was discovered.

In the third operation on June 22, a European man was detained at KLIA after scans detected suspicious packages in two pieces of luggage, leading to the discovery of around 34kg of cannabis buds worth about RM2.72 million.

NST reported that authorities seized 270 compressed blocks of cannabis buds found in six suitcases and four sacks recovered from the airport and the Banting house.

NST also reported that two separate drug trafficking syndicates operating through KLIA were dismantled between June 17 and June 22. Four men were arrested during the operations, including three foreign nationals.

One foreign suspect was believed to be from Europe, while two others were from Southeast Asian and East Asian countries. Urine screening tests found all suspects negative for drugs.

Police also believe that one suspect arrested in the first case on June 17 had previously carried out a similar activity at the same airport, but was caught when attempting it again.

The seizure highlights how KLIA may be used not only as a passenger travel hub, but also as a transit point for drug syndicates attempting to move narcotics across borders.

From an enforcement perspective, the case shows the importance of airport screening, intelligence sharing, luggage scanning, cooperation with airport security and follow-up raids outside the terminal area.

The use of hotels, private vehicles and rented houses also shows that drug trafficking networks may operate beyond the airport itself. In this case, the suspected storage location in Banting suggests that syndicates may use nearby areas to hold drugs before onward movement.

The case also reflects a wider concern over cross-border drug movement in Southeast Asia. Police believe the seized cannabis buds originated from ASEAN countries before being routed through Malaysia for international destinations.

For Malaysia, the seizure is significant because it involves both local and international elements. A Malaysian suspect was among those arrested, while several foreign nationals were also detained in the latest crackdown.

The discovery of foreign currencies during the operation may also help investigators trace the financial side of the syndicate, including possible payment channels, international links and transit arrangements.

The case is now under investigation, and all suspects should be treated as innocent until proven guilty in court. However, the scale of the seizure shows that police are dealing with a serious trafficking network rather than a small possession case.

The repeated seizures at KLIA also show that stricter airport screening can produce major results. Shazeli said the increase in seizures was directly linked to tougher checks at strategic gateways, especially at KLIA.

Moving forward, authorities are likely to continue monitoring passenger luggage, suspicious travel patterns, storage houses, transport routes and syndicate links between Malaysia and overseas destinations.

The operation also sends a warning to drug mules. Syndicates may use individuals to transport luggage across borders, but enhanced screening and intelligence-led enforcement increase the risk of detection.

the seizure of 653.6kg of cannabis buds and the arrest of 38 individuals this year mark one of the most significant KLIA-linked drug enforcement updates in 2026.

The development is suitable for Update News and Crime News because it involves a current police operation, major drug seizures, multiple arrests, suspected airport trafficking routes and investigations under Malaysia’s Dangerous Drugs Act.