KUCHING: 301 drug dealers were arrested in the state by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police from January to June this year compared to 498 persons for the same corresponding period last year.
Assistant Minister of Community Well Being, Datuk Francis Harden Anak Hollis said under the Anti-Dangerous Drug Act (Special Prevention Measures) 1985, the police also succeeded in arresting 24 persons from January to June this year compared to 46 persons for the same corresponding period last year.
“The police had also taken stern action by confiscating the properties of the drug dealers worth RM1,083,890.63 this year (2018) ,” added Harden.
He was replying to a question raised by Dato’ Murshid Diraya Dr Juanda Bin Jaya (BN-Jemoreng) in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly yesterday.
On the effectiveness of the wars against drugs by the Royal Malaysia Police in the country, he said, Sarawak police came first for the first time last year for the supply category, first for the Anti Dangerous Drug (Special Prevention Measures) 1985 (Preventive Arrest on Drug Dealers) category and second for the confiscation of drug dealers properties category.
He also revealed that Sarawak police now had 18 drug element placement districts including Belaga (1 sergeant and two personnels), Marudi (1 sergeant ) and Lundu (1 Inspector, 1 sergeant and 2 personnels in 2017.
Harden said in 2018, the police added four more districts for placement of narcotic elements i.e Matu/Daro, Simunjan, Meradong and Julau through Directive Placement Reference JSJN 106/4 dated 19/06/2018.