The National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) has deployed 18 drones to monitor suspected drug offenders across identified hotspots nationwide, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said the drones provide round-the-clock surveillance, allowing authorities to gather more accurate intelligence before carrying out enforcement operations.
“Information collected through the drones is transmitted directly to the operations room, allowing targeted action to be taken.
“Through this drone surveillance, 23,317 persons of interest were identified, leading to subsequent arrests of those involved,” he said after attending the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Immigration Department and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
Saifuddin said the 18 drones have strengthened AADK’s operational capabilities alongside its existing mapping of drug hotspots, carried out in collaboration with the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department.
He added that AADK has also introduced its Strategic Plan 2026-2030, which will serve as a guide for the agency’s core efforts in prevention, enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation.
The memorandum aims to establish a more systematic, effective and comprehensive partnership between the enforcement agencies.
Saifuddin said the collaboration covers four main areas, namely capacity building and human resources, intelligence sharing, joint investigations, and coordinated operations based on surveillance findings.
He expressed confidence that the strategic cooperation between the agencies would strengthen efforts to combat drug-related offences and improve enforcement effectiveness.
