Authorities in Malaysia took 51 men into custody during weekend operations at a Kuala Lumpur hotel, where officials say drugs were being used during what they characterized as illegal activities.
The arrests occurred across four different raids on Sunday, according to narcotics investigations department director Hussein Omar Khan, who released details in a Monday evening statement. The detained individuals ranged in age from 21 to 52 years old, with 28 being foreign nationals.
Officers confiscated illegal substances valued at approximately 103,070 ringgit ($26,021), which included MDMA, ecstasy in both pill and powder forms, and ketamine, Khan reported.
“This group was found to be using rooms in upscale hotels for entertainment, drug abuse, and is believed to be involved in immoral activities,” Khan stated, noting that investigators are proceeding under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Before the raids took place, authorities discovered an unconscious man in the hotel lobby who they suspect was connected to the gathering. Emergency responders transported him to Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where medical staff declared him deceased upon arrival. Khan did not reveal information regarding what caused the death.
The detained men are being held for three to six days while the investigation proceeds, Khan explained, and drug tests came back positive for 36 of those arrested.
In Malaysia, a nation with a Muslim majority, homosexuality remains illegal under a dual legal framework that combines Islamic law for Muslims with civil statutes. Sodomy carries criminal penalties, while sharia law prohibits same-sex relationships and cross-dressing.
Advocacy organizations have cautioned that LGBT individuals in Malaysia are experiencing heightened surveillance and growing hostility.
In the previous year, Kuala Lumpur law enforcement announced they would examine their protocols following an incident where 171 people detained on suspicion of same-sex conduct were released without charges when no prosecutable evidence emerged. LGBT rights organizations criticized police for allegedly holding some detainees illegally for almost two days despite a court order for their release.
