Drug syndicates turning to couriers to evade detection, says criminologist

A criminologist said the use of courier networks for drug distribution is not new, but has increasingly come under the spotlight in Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: Drug trafficking syndicates have evolved by using courier services to distribute narcotics, a method which reduces the need for face-to-face transactions with buyers and lowers the risk of detection, according to a criminologist.

Nur Hafizah Yusoff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said the use of courier networks for drug distribution was not new internationally, but had increasingly come under the spotlight in Malaysia.

“Traffickers favour courier services because they save time and costs while reducing security risks, as they do not need to meet buyers in person.

“However, this modus operandi does not guarantee success, as authorities continuously adapt to the evolving tactics employed by drug syndicates,” she told FMT.

She said syndicates typically conceal drugs in a variety of products, including toys, personal care items, and other consumer goods, to avoid detection.

While the use of courier services can complicate conventional investigations, she said, criminal activities conducted digitally still leave traces that can be tracked by enforcement agencies.

“Digital footprints are always there. The challenge is that investigations become more complex and often take longer to complete,” she said.

Nur Hafizah said courier companies should not be expected to act as enforcement agencies, but should instead serve as partners to the police in identifying early signs of suspicious activity.

“Courier personnel can be trained to recognise unusual shipping patterns or suspicious parcels and relay that information to the authorities,” she said.

Kelantan police had called in about 10 courier companies in the state to share information on the latest tactics used by drug syndicates that exploit parcel delivery services for trafficking activities.

Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat said the move was to raise awareness among courier operators and employees following a growing number of drug-related cases involving such services.

Association of Malaysian Express Carriers president Ronald Tan said the courier industry was aware that logistics and delivery networks could be targeted for illicit purposes.

He said the challenge was not unique to the courier sector, but affected the wider transportation and logistics ecosystem worldwide.

“Although cases involving the abuse of courier services represent only a small fraction of the total parcels handled each day, the industry takes the matter seriously. We are constantly strengthening safeguards to reduce the risk of being exploited by criminal syndicates,” he said.

Tan said courier companies in Malaysia handled hundreds of thousands to millions of parcels daily, making it essential for any security measures to be operationally sustainable.

He said a more effective approach would be to adopt risk-based screening, with additional checks conducted on suspicious shipments.

“The use of technology, data analytics, and more advanced tracking systems can also help identify high-risk shipments without disrupting daily operations,” he said.