PETALING JAYA (ANN/THE STAR) – Crates loaded with products undergoing inspection at the Thai-Malaysian border seem harmless at first glance. However, underneath the heaps, there could be something more malevolent.
Contraband, narcotics and hazardous items like firearms can be hidden to avoid attracting the attention of border officials.
Datuk Mohamad Anil Shah Abdullah (pic), a former senior police officer and past director of public services at the Asean Chiefs of National Police secretariat, noted that this is a typical method employed by smugglers to bring illegal firearms into the country without being noticed.
He said that even with strict enforcement, the immense quantity of goods crossing borders daily can lead to the subtle indicators of such concealment getting overlooked and not detected during inspections by officials.
“Often guns are found in the shipment of drugs as the syndicates are aware that they have nothing to lose as both carry heavy penalties.
“The guns can be either smuggled wholly or in parts as they are easily assembled and disassembled. To avoid detection, the firearms are smuggled in small numbers with other legal items that are being transported across the border,” said Mohamad Anil, who served the police force for 35 years and now chairs the Crime Consciousness and Public Safety Society, an NGO.
He stated that, to adequately manage or eliminate trafficking, solid connections with global enforcement bodies are crucial. Additionally, he praised the establishment of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, which commenced its operations last year and is expected to enhance security at borders.
A reformed ex-member of the underworld, now self-employed, noted that certain people focus on smuggling nearly anything over the border because it is lucrative.
The man, who is in his 60s and preferred to go by Ragu, stated that these smugglers typically reside near the borders and know the terrain well.
“As long as they are paid what they ask for, they will deliver guns, grenades or ammunition.”
Ragu mentioned that one of the tactics employed by local smugglers to illicitly bring in small firearms involved taking a bus trip to Thailand for a few days.
He stated that upon their return, they would put the handgun, typically wrapped in newspaper and plastic, into a dustbin — that would be filled with rubbish such as peanut shells, fruit peel and spit, making it look disgusting — attached to the bus seat.
“Upon reaching their destination, the crook takes the whole garbage bag with him and leaves the bus with the gun. This is how it was done but hiding it in regular and legal cargo transported by lorries is more common,” said Ragu.
Criminologist Assoc Prof Datuk P Sundramoorthy of Universiti Sains Malaysia mentioned that Malaysia’s vast and vulnerable borders, especially at sea and on land, pose major difficulties in fighting the trafficking of prohibited firearms.
He stated that the large flow of people and goods across these borders make inspections more challenging, enabling smugglers to take advantage of these weaknesses.
Prof Sundramoorthy stated that to address the challenges encountered by the authorities, the government has introduced several security intelligence strategies and technological innovations. He added the Customs Department utilises scanning equipment to identify restricted items, such as firearms, while maintaining normal trade operations.
