February 14, 2025
PETALING JAYA – Crates filled with goods passing through the Thai-Malaysian border checkpoints appear innocent without a second glance. But beneath the piles, may lie something more sinister.
Contraband, drugs and dangerous items such as firearms may be concealed to evade the suspicions of the border guards.
Datuk Mohamad Anil Shah Abdullah (pic), a retired senior police officer and former director of public services of the Asean Chiefs of National Police secretariat, said it was a common mode smugglers use to slip illegal firearms into the country undetected.
He said despite tight enforcement, the sheer number of goods passing through borders each day can result in the subtle signs of such concealment slipping through the cracks and being missed during inspections by authorities.
“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.
He now chairs the Crime Consciousness and Public Safety Society, an NGO.
He said to effectively control or stamp out trafficking, strong ties with international enforcement agencies are essential.
“Enforcement officers cannot be everywhere but sharing of intelligence with not just local enforcement agencies but also our foreign counterparts will ensure enforcement is effective and seamless.
“This has proven to be very effective in clamping down on transborder trafficking. It is really not a breeze to smuggle in firearms but it does slip past every now and then, especially at rat trails, said Mohamad Anil.
He lauded the forming of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, which began its operations last year and believes will further fortify security at borders.
A former underworld member, now reformed and self-employed, said some individuals specialise in smuggling almost anything from across the border as it pays well.
GRAPHICS: THE STAR
The man, who is in his 60s and only wanted to be known as Ragu, said such smugglers often live close to the borders and are familiar with its landscape.
“As long as they are paid what they ask for, they will deliver guns, grenades or ammunition.”
Ragu said one of the tactics used by local smugglers to sneak in small firearms was to take a holiday to Thailand for a few days by bus.
He said upon their return, they would place the handgun, which is usually packed in newspaper and plastic, in a dustbin affixed to the seat of the bus.
“Then they fill it up with rubbish such as peanut shells and fruit peel.
“Later, they chew fruits or other food before spitting it into the bin, making it look repulsive.
“When the authorities conduct sudden checks on the bus and spot the bin, they would skip it unless they are acting on a tip-off.
“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 said Malaysia’s extensive and porous borders particularly along the sea and land, present significant challenges in combating the smuggling of illegal firearms.
He said the high volume of movement of people and goods across these borders further complicates inspections allowing smugglers to exploit these vulnerabilities.
Prof Sundramoorthy said to counter the challenges faced by the authorities, the government has implemented various security intelligence measures and technological solutions.
He added the Customs Department utilises scanning equipment to detect prohibited items, including firearms, without disrupting legitimate trade.
“However, despite these initiatives, the firearms smuggling persists. This calls for a need to continuously enhance border security measures with the adoption of advanced technologies to effectively combat this threat,” he said.