“Just because drugs are being smuggled to Penang, involving two to three individuals it does not make it a hub,” he told reporters after attending a ceremony at Bukit Aman here.
Khalid was responding to Thailand’s Narcotics Suppression Division acting commander for area 4 (south), Maj Gen Dussadee Choosankij who said that Malaysia, particulalry Penang, is a hub for drug traffickers from Thailand.
Dussadee explained this was because Penang had a port and that there were Malaysian syndicates which have connections with drug syndicates in other countries.
He also said that international syndicates had been known to be using Penang as one of their transit points for some time to smuggle drugs from the infamous “Golden Triangle” near the Thai, Myanmar and Laos border.
The drugs would be exported to another country upon reaching Penang.
The role of Penang as the preferred transit point for drug syndicates surfaced based on several cases of failed attempts to smuggle drugs into Malaysia recently.
Khalid however, assured that police were monitoring the situation and would take action against drug traffickers.
“We will go all out in our war against drugs,” he said, adding that Malaysian police and their Thai counterparts also shared intelligence to combat the menance.
On a separate matter, the IGP also told the public to behave themselves when ushering in the new year.
Addressing youths in particular, he said they should not break the law on New Year’s Eve.
“Some people get crazy and destroy public property.”