KUANTAN: A total of 902 cases and 1,094 arrests were recorded by Pahang police during four series of Ops Hawk from January to April to combat drug abuse.
State police chief Comm Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the operation targeted areas identified as drug hotspots, including Felda settlements and locations flagged through public complaints.
"Of the total arrests, 167 were for drug supply cases, 308 for possession, and 619 after urine tests were positive for drugs," he told a press conference after a blood donation campaign in conjunction with the 219th Police Day celebrations at the Alor Akar Police Complex here on Wednesday (April 29).
Comm Yahaya said the arrested suspects were aged between 15 and 77, with the youngest being a school dropout.
Apart from the arrests, he said Pahang police also tracked down and rearrested 166 wanted persons, and took preventive action against 20 others under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985.
"Action was also taken against a total of 295 hardcore addicts under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952," he said.
Comm Yahaya said that during the operations, more than 43kg of drugs worth an estimated RM158,054 were seized, including methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Yaba pills, MDMA, ketum leaves and 355.6 litres of liquid ketum.
"We also seized various assets suspected to be linked to drug activities, including cash and vehicles, with a total value of RM266,120," he said.
Comm Yahaya said Ops Hawk would continue throughout the year to curb drug abuse and other related social ills.
In another development, he said Pahang police were giving full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in its investigation of a senior police officer for alleged corruption.
It was reported on Tuesday (April 28) that a senior police officer had been remanded for five days until Saturday (May 2) to help investigations into allegations that he solicited and received bribes amounting to around RM64,000 in return for protecting unlicensed entertainment outlets in a district of the state. – Bernama
