KUALA LUMPUR – Police have nabbed an ex-Malaysian diplomat, who carries the title of Datuk, for allegedly planting over 100 marijuana trees around his residence in Kg Sum Sum Hilir, Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang.
Pahang police chief Datuk Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf told a press conference at the Bentong district police headquarters today that the former government official was arrested last Saturday after he was suspected of owning a cannabis plantation.
The 78-year-old suspect had also processed the plant into dried leaves and liquid, believed to be cannabis oil, for sale to his regular customers and friends.
Based on the preliminary investigation, he said the suspect admitted to planting the marijuana trees since 2015 in an area of two hectares at a remote residence in Janda Baik, which was heavily guarded by eight dogs.
“Checks by the police behind the garage found five parcels of land with 60 marijuana trees and eight trees in a tent.
“We also found 34 trees at the nursery on the sidewalk of the house, making it a total of 102 cannabis trees found with a value of RM61,200,” he said.
In the raid, the police had also seized 1.02kg of dried marijuana leaves worth RM2,500 which can be supplied to approximately 1,020 users.
A preliminary screening test on the suspect’s urine sample found him negative for drugs.
“However, the suspect revealed that he has been mixing a few drops of cannabis oil into his drinks over the past three years.
“He is remanded for seven days from May 22 to 28 and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.”
Following the arrest of the suspect, the police had also detained the suspect’s son at a house in Shah Alam, Selangor at 5:30pm yesterday.
Ramli said the second suspect tested positive for the drug and admitted to being addicted since 2013 to date and has been planting the trees since 2015.
Like his father, the 53-year-old man will be remanded today and the case is being investigated under Section 39B and Section 6B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Previously, Harian Metro reported on the arrest of the erstwhile diplomat and the case is considered the largest seizure of cannabis trees in the country’s history. – The Vibes, May 24, 2022
