Drug offences: 327 police officers, personnel arrested from Jan-Oct

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The police arrested 327 officers and other police personnel involved in drug activities under 'Op Duri' from January to October this year.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director, Datuk Razarudin Husain said the arrests, based on intelligence gathered and complaints, showed a downward trend compared to 566 individuals arrested last year.

"The department always conducts various operations, including ‘Op Duri’, previously known as ‘Op Blue Devil’, to curb the involvement of police officers and personnel in drug abuse.

"From the total, 18 individuals were arrested for drug trafficking, 74 for drug possession, 225 for being positive for drugs in urine tests and 10 under the Special Preventive Measures (LLPN).

Razarudin said this year’s statistics were lower than last year’s when 40 individuals were arrested for drug trafficking, 99 for drug possession, 424 detected positive for drugs and three under LLPK.

He said the decline in arrests, also conducted during the enforcement of the Conditional Movement Control Order (EMCO), proved that police did not take the involvement of its officers and personnel in drug activities lightly.

Razarudin said if the cases did not involve integrity issues but were due to disciplinary problems and seen as unfit for the department, they would be transferred to other departments.

"I cannot deny that there are police officers and personnel involved in the sale of ketum, an offence under the Poisons Act, and we have received reports on this, ” he said.

Razarudin said police would take action either by charging them in court, or by transferring them.

"I need to show a good example. Only then will my subordinates feel that I’m a good leader. If I have a luxurious lifestyle, they will know something is wrong and that my salary does not match my lifestyle.

"I urge all my officers and personnel involved in such syndicates to repent because when they are fired after 10 years of service, it causes the government to lose of millions of ringgit.”

He said this was due to the salary, allowances given and courses and outside assignments borne by the government that were simply written off as losses because they were sacked.

Meanwhile, when asked what would happen to the seized drugs, he said the drugs would become evidence until the cases were settled.

"When the drugs are returned to the police, the department will carry out the disposal following the process approved by the Department of Environment (DOE) based on the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

"Usually, the disposal is done by burning and is conducted by a company appointed by the Department of Environment, ” he said, adding that among those in attendace would be representatives of other police departments and the media. – Bernama