Drug traffickers are adopting increasingly sophisticated methods, with police recently uncovering a new “contactless” drug transaction tactic where drugs are hidden inside unlocked vehicles for buyers to retrieve—completely avoiding face-to-face contact and making it harder for authorities to track them.
According to Dato’ Hussein Omar Khan, Director of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, this “car-drop” method has gained traction locally. After placing an order online, the buyer is directed to a specific location where the seller has stashed the drugs inside an unlocked car parked by the roadside or in a public parking lot. The buyer then simply retrieves the package without ever meeting the dealer—eliminating the risks of traditional hand-to-hand exchanges.
Police believe this method began gaining popularity in early 2025, especially for methamphetamine distribution, and has already been widely used in Sarawak. Hussein noted that the tactic poses new challenges for law enforcement, as traffickers continuously evolve their strategies to evade capture.
Authorities have pledged to strengthen intelligence-gathering efforts and surveillance technology to stay ahead of these shifting criminal tactics, reaffirming their commitment to prevent drugs from harming communities.
