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Malaysia risks "bigger problems" if the illegal drug fentanyl enters the local market, warns criminologist Datuk Dr P Sundramoorthy
He made the comment after police uncovered 400 vape cartridges containing the drug during coordinated raids in the Klang Valley, crippling a drug syndicate believed to be supplied from the Golden Triangle, reported the New Straits Times.
The cartridges were among more than half a tonne of drugs seized, including methamphetamine and Erimin 5. The haul is estimated to be worth over RM31.5 million.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said that, if distributed, the drugs could have affected up to 3.12 million people
However, concerns have been raised that traffickers may be testing Malaysia as a potential market for fentanyl, also known as the "zombie drug".
The busted drug load is estimated to be worth RM31.57 million.
Image via New Straits TimesA synthetic opioid, fentanyl is particularly dangerous due to its extreme potency and ease of concealment
According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the drug, typically prescribed for pain treatment, is about 100 times more potent than morphine.
At that level of potency, as little as 2mg of fentanyl, equivalent to a few grains of salt, can be fatal. The lack of oversight in the illicit drug trade also means there is no guarantee whether a given dose is fatal.
It becomes even more dangerous when mixed with other drugs to increase potency or when passed off as other illegal substances.
The US, in particular, has been grappling with a fentanyl crisis that, in 2023, claimed between 150 and 200 lives a day.
Fentanyl causes a variety of dangerous effects.
Image via New Straits TimesIn the seized Malaysian batch, vape pods may mask fentanyl's true potency, lowering perceived risk and helping traffickers widen their market
Sundramoorthy added that fentanyl's low production cost and high potency make it a highly lucrative trade. Even a small foothold in the Malaysian market could generate substantial profits for traffickers.
"If [fentanyl] demand takes hold, Malaysia could face a more complex and entrenched drug problem with far greater public health consequences."
Hussein Khan showing the seized fentanyl-laced vape cartridges.
Image via New Straits TimesComplicating matters is a decentralised distribution system that shields high-level traffickers within syndicates
The syndicate busted in the recent operation used a 'drop-and-collect' method where suppliers left vehicles loaded with drugs at designated collection points before they were retrieved by local operatives.
Once the transaction is complete, the vehicles were returned to their original locations.
Bukit Aman will now collaborate with counterparts in Thailand to dismantle the syndicate believed to be responsible for the fentanyl-laced vape pods, said Hussein Omar.
Sundramoorthy emphasised the need to ensure narcotics agencies have the technology and expertise to combat increasingly sophisticated organised crime networks.
"The window for pre-emptive intervention is narrow, and failure to act decisively may allow a highly dangerous substance to gain a foothold with consequences that are far harder to reverse."
