KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Five officers from Tapah Prison are under police investigation following an attempt to smuggle drugs into the prison using a drone.

Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Isa confirmed that more prison officers and inmates will be called in for questioning as the investigation is still ongoing, Malay news portal Harian Metro reported today.

“So far, we have recorded statements from five officers. These include officers at the guard post, those monitoring the CCTV, and those who discovered the drone and the drugs.

“We believe this is not the first case involving the use of drones to smuggle drugs into Tapah Prison, but it is the first time the drone failed and crashed within the prison area,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference at the Perak Police Contingent Headquarters today.

He added that the case is currently being investigated by Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN).

Additionally, he confirmed that this is not the first time contraband, such as drugs, has been smuggled into the prison, with various types of drugs having been seized from the prison since 2022.

On August 9, authorities detected an attempt to smuggle items believed to be drugs into a prison in Tapah, Perak, using a drone.

The incident came to light after the Tapah District Police Headquarters received a report from a prison staff member who found a white drone on the roof of one of the prison blocks.