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KUCHING: Sarawak recorded 1,121 cases of drug abuse involving 1,379 arrests throughout the month of July this year, State Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah (pix) disclosed.
She said the cases were recorded as a result of 969 operations mounted by the state’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID), National Anti-Drug Agency (NADA), and Customs Department.
“Fifty-six cases involving 86 arrests were recorded for drug-pushing and trafficking activities, 18 of which had been investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries mandatory death penalty upon conviction,” she told reporters here today.
Fatimah, who is also the chairman of the state’s One-Stop Committee to Tackle Drug Issues, said 191 cases involving 256 arrests were recorded for possession of drugs, while 766 cases involving 735 arrests were recorded for using drugs.
“Meanwhile, Sarawak has also recorded 108 cases involving 302 arrests under the Drug Addicts (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 (Amendment 1998), as a result of 66 operations carried out by Sarawak NADA,” she said.
Fatimah said approximately 31.7kg of drugs of various types were seized during the operations, comprising 30kg of syabu (methamphetamine), 1.4kg of powdered ecstasy, 288.63gm of ketamin, and 2.38gm of cannabis, as well as Eramin 5 in the form of 1,583 pills, ecstasy (1,299 pills) and Nospan (1,100 pills).
“Apart from that, Sarawak also recorded a seizure of 27 cannabis seeds. The total seizure is estimated at RM2,887,848,” she said.
She also called on the public with information on drug abuse activities to channel the information via WhatsApp to NCID hotline at 012-2087222 or NADA hotline at 019-6262233. -Bernama
