KUCHING: A total of 31.8kg of various types of drugs as well as 3,982 pills with a total estimated value of RM2,887,848.77 were seized in Sarawak between July 1 to 31 this year.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said these were seized by narcotics enforcement agencies, namely the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Sarawak and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM).
On average, she said the total seized would be able to reduce 310,138 times of drug use by 77,146 individuals for the period of one month.
Of the 31.8kg, she said about 30kg was methamphetamine, ecstasy powder (1,444g), ketamine (288.63g), and cannabis (2.38g).
“With regard to the 3,982 pills seized in Sarawak, 1,583 were Eramin 5, 1,299 were ecstasy pills, and 1,100 were Nospan pills,” she said at a press conference on the One Stop Committee (OSC) on addressing drug and substance abuse (MIDS) periodic report for the month of July at the Baitul Makmur Building here yesterday.
Aside from this, she said 27 cannabis seeds were also seized.
She said methamphetamine seized in July showed a 51.1 per cent increase compared to the overall seized amount for the period of January 1 to July 31.
“To combat drug abuse more aggressively, PDRM will continue to enforce stricter laws such as Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985, and Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.”
Fatimah said that throughout July, JSJN Sarawak recorded 11 arrests (15.5 per cent from the cumulative 71 cases since January this year) under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, while two arrests were made under the Special Preventive Measures.
“In July, JSJN Sarawak confiscated various types of property worth RM1,103,798.13 from drug dealers.”
She said that as of July 31, Sarawak had a total of 1,945 People Under Supervision (OKP).
On treatment and rehabilitation, she said from July 1 to 31, there were 141 clients at the Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centre (CCRC) by court order, and 22 clients were receiving treatment voluntarily at Cure and Care Clinic (C&C) Kuching run by AADK Sarawak.
Fatimah added that 30 districts in Sarawak had established OSC for MIDS thus far, and 10 more would be establishing such centres this year.
