IPOH: Police arrested 496 drug addicts and 120 traffickers in raids during an anti-drug operation around Perak, said state police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid (pix).
He said the suspects, comprising 489 men and seven women, aged between 18 and 71, were detained for various drug offences in the raids under Op Tapis Khas carried out for two days, starting last Friday on 32 drug dens.
“Of the total, 251 drug addicts were investigated under Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, while three others were investigated under Section 3 (1) of Drug Dependents (Treatment and Rehabilitation Act 1983.
“Fifty hardcore drug addicts will have taken action against them under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act. Besides locals, police also nabbed 16 foreign nationals including those from Myanmar (eight), Thailand (seven) and a Vietnamese man.
During the operation, 36 individuals were arrested under the Special Preventive Measures (LLPN) Act 1985, while 15 others had been on the police wanted list.
Mior Faridalathrash said police also seized several types of drugs, including heroin, syabu, ganja, Eramin 5 pills, ecstasy and ketum water, worth RM 67,795.60.
Police also confiscated a revolver, three live bullets, two cars, nine motorcycles and cash, with the total value of seized items amounting to RM97,082.
Meanwhile, Mior Faridalathrash said the police had identified the individual who uploaded the video clip of a man in a shop in Sayong Lembah in Kuala Kangsar who claimed that there would be a gathering of ulama (scholars) and the appearance of Imam Mahdi.
He said although the video had been deleted and can no longer be accessed, further investigation would still be carried out into the case.
The initial investigation found that the owner of the shop was not even aware that his shop was featured in the video, he said.
The 56-second video clip showing a man in a shop selling various types of firearms, claiming that there would be a gathering of 300 scholars to witness the emergence of Imam Mahdi, had gone viral since Jan 13.
The police had been investigating the case under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for inappropriate use of telecommunication networks and services. — Bernama
