While the NCID already has a small number of officers at airports, their duties have now been restructured with the formation of the new division which will report directly to Bukit Aman.

Khalil said 102 narcotics officers would be stationed at seven main airports, with the majority of them, 72, serving at KLIA – the country’s biggest international gateway.

Others will be stationed in the airports in Penang (13 officers), Kota Kinabalu (12) and Kuching (five). Narcotics officers will now also be present in Langkawi, Senai and Subang airports.

A total of 101 Malaysians were apprehended for smuggling drugs last year, 82 of them overseas in incidents which Khalil said had hurt the country’s reputation.

“These drug mules have cost the country our identity,” he said during the division’s launch in KLIA here today.

“Sometimes, when I go to international events and I’m asked about Malaysian drug mules, it’s embarrassing. We are forming this division to strengthen our efforts to combat drug mules and traffickers, especially at airports.”