The National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) has deployed 18 drones to track suspected drug addicts at mapped drug hotspots across Malaysia, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced today [1, 2, 3, 4].
The drones provide round-the-clock surveillance, including night flights. Data collected is transmitted directly to the operations room, enabling targeted enforcement actions, the minister said. “Through this drone surveillance, a total of 23,317 persons of interest were identified, leading to subsequent arrests of those involved,” he added [1, 3].
AADK’s drone deployment enhances its operational capabilities in partnership with the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, which has mapped drug hotspots nationwide [1, 2, 3, 4]. The drones' ability to fly at night increases monitoring coverage and effectiveness.
On the same day, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Immigration Department and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. According to the Home Minister, the MOU will focus on capacity building, intelligence sharing, joint investigations, and coordinated operational actions based on surveillance findings [2].
The Home Minister also noted that AADK has launched a strategic plan for 2026 to 2030 to guide its prevention, enforcement, treatment, and rehabilitation efforts [1].
These measures were announced during the minister’s statement on August 18, 2026, marking a coordinated push to strengthen Malaysia’s drug enforcement and monitoring capabilities [1, 2, 3, 4].
