MIRI - Drug-related problems in Sarawak have reached alarming levels, judging from the amount of drugs seized and the number of people arrested for drug-trafficking, possession and addiction.
For the first nine months of this year, the police here uncovered and seized RM128.8 mil worth of all sorts of drugs, an increase compared to RM9.3 mil worth of drugs for the same period last year.
Police also arrested 7,557 people for drug-related offences including trafficking, trading, possession and personal consumption as compared to 6,335 offenders from Jan - Sept last year.
This increase shows a huge jump in drug-related problems, said state police chief, Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri today.
Speaking during a town hall meeting in Lundu with local residents there, he said the police are extending their outreach to get the people to assist them in tackling crimes.
"Drug problems are among crimes that we need greater cooperation from the public to tackle.
"There has been a huge increase in drug cases uncovered by the police in the state.
"We need the public to be more vigilant and to alert the police of drug abuse and activities and other crimes," he said.
Lundu town is about 100 kms from state capital Kuching.
Four days ago, here in Miri, police arrested a mother and her son at a squatter resettlement scheme in the outskirts of Miri for allegedly turning their home into a drug-trafficking base.
The mother, aged 60 and her son, 39, were arrested by anti-narcotics police officers during a raid at the Tudan residential area on Oct 4.
The woman and her son were arrested inside their house during the raid and suspected of being involved in drug-trafficking activities.
The raiding team found plastic bags containing substances believed to be syabu drugs.
The case has been classified as drug trafficking under Section 39B of Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. - The Vibes, October 8, 2023
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