PENDANG – A lorry driver was arrested yesterday in Jalan Kg Tong Prok, Padang Kerbau after police pulled him over and discovered he was transporting ketum (mitragyna speciose) leaves.
Pendang district police chief Arriz Sham Hamezah said: “After stopping the three-tonne lorry, which was being driven in a suspicious manner, police found 80 bags of ketum leaves weighing 1.5 tonnes worth RM22,000.
“The suspect confessed to being paid RM2,000 per trip to transport the leaves from Kuala Nerang, Kedah, to Seremban, Negri Sembilan,” he said in a press conference today.
He said the man had lost his job as an express bus driver in June and used his i-Sinar payment from the Employees Provident Fund to rent the lorry – which he also used to deliver goods like furniture and food – for RM2,500 per month.
Arriz added that the suspect, who was arrested at 12.45am, is married and has three children.
He said that he is being remanded for four days and being investigated under Section 30 (3) of the Poisons Act 1952.
“His urine drug test was negative and he doesn’t have a prior criminal record. We’re still investigating to find out who hired him,” said Arriz. – Bernama, January 20, 2021
