Malaysian women were detained at Jakarta Airport for drug offences

6 August 2026

Photo courtesy of Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Three Malaysian women were detained at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta on Monday in the latest drug-related case involving Malaysians abroad.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the police were informed by the Indonesian National Police (POLRI) about the arrest of the three women from Sabah, aged between 30 and 39.

Key details

He said investigations found that two of them had prior drug-related criminal records and were drug users, but the quantity of drugs seized by POLRI was small and believed to be for personal use.

“The arrest of these three women is found to be unrelated to the earlier cases involving the detention of a pilot and a 22-year-old man in Indonesia,” he told Bernama after appearing as a guest on the Waspada programme on Bernama Radio yesterday.

It was previously reported that officers at Terminal 2F of the airport foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs by the three female passengers, who had arrived on a flight from Kota Kinabalu, after the illicit substances were detected hidden in their luggage and shoes.

Why it matters in Malaysia

Meanwhile, commenting on the drug-related arrests involving Malaysians abroad, Hussein did not rule out that Malaysia’s geographical position is one of the factors making it a transit route for international drug trafficking syndicates.

“Most of these drug trafficking syndicates originate from countries north of Malaysia, and we become a transit route for them to move to Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and several other countries.

“As such, we will further tighten the existing standard operating procedures at the country’s entry and exit points to ensure Malaysia is not continuously labelled as a drug transit nation,” he said.

Hussein said the Royal Malaysia Police maintain a firm stance against cross-border crimes, with the NCID having seized 89 tonnes of various drugs nationwide last year.

He added that enforcement momentum has remained consistent this year, with nearly 46 tonnes of drugs seized in the first six months of 2026. — Bernama

6 August 2026