ALOR SETAR: A total of 77 civil servants, including police officers and personnel, were arrested in Kedah for alleged drug abuse.
Kedah police chief Datuk Azli Abu Shah said the police take the matter seriously and will not compromise with any police officer, personnel, or other civil servants found to be involved in drug-related activities.
He said statistics showed that Kedah drug cases rose 13.2% from last year, recording 26,907 cases this year as of last Sunday (Dec 21), compared with 23,758 in the same period last year.
"In terms of arrests, a total of 27,657 individuals were detained, of whom 24,335 were identified as drug addicts, marking an increase of 14.6%, with the majority being Malays.
"Of that number, 77 individuals were civil servants, including police officers and personnel. I am not ashamed to state that the police leadership will not compromise on this matter," he told reporters here on Wednesday.
Azli said the value of drugs seized this year amounted to RM47.6mil, compared with RM8.8mil during the same period last year, representing an increase of nearly 500%.
He said the largest seizure involved ganja buds weighing 426kg, followed by syabu (419kg), ganja (192kg), heroin base (120kg) and heroin (73kg).
He added that 1,474 individuals were arrested under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, involving repeat offenders with at least two previous drug-related convictions, the highest number recorded nationwide compared with other police contingents.
Azli also said the high level of commitment shown by all officers and personnel had contributed to the significant number of arrests and drug seizures, despite facing manpower constraints, adding that enforcement efforts would continue into 2026 to curb drug abuse in Kedah.
"We have a clear direction and will further detail our strategy for next year. Among the main areas of focus is enforcement under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, and the results are evident, with crime reports in Kedah decreasing by nearly 5,000 cases.
"This is because crime cannot be separated from drug addiction, as almost 46% of index crimes in Kedah involve theft and other offences, most of which are committed by drug addicts," he said. - Bernama
