No matter how smart you think you are (especially when committing crime), you'll get caught one day.

The saying came true for more than five people with the titles of "Tan Sri" and "Datuk", who, according to the police, have been allegedly running drug cartels for several years.

Legal businesses used as a front

New Straits Times reported that the VIPs owned hotel, shipping, logistics and iron companies that they used as fronts for their drug-smuggling activities.

Initial report by the daily mentioned that three individuals being involved in the case but later updated it to five.

Federal police Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director, Datuk Razarudin Husain, told NST that the staff working for the legitimate companies were not aware of the nefarious activities, as the masterminds behind the drug cartels had others to do their dirty work.

"NCID is currently gathering information and evidence from drug syndicate members who have been arrested before we nab the trio.

"In fact, we arrested some of their men through several operations at the federal, state and district-levels nationwide," NST quoted him as saying.

The police, however, are gathering more evidence before making any arrests to ensure that the culprits do not escape justice.

It is believed that the alleged criminals smuggled drugs to Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesia using air cargo and ships.

They are believed to have been involved in the country's largest drug bust in 2019, where the authorities seized 12 tonnes of cocaine valued at RM2.4 billion.