KUANTAN: From a teenage dropout to a 77-year-old, Pahang’s latest anti-drug sweep highlights an addiction crisis cutting across all ages, say the police.
State police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said in the first four months of this year, Ops Hawk netted over a thousand arrests, showing how deeply entrenched drug activity remains despite sustained enforcement.
Notably, even Felda settlements and locations identified through complaints have emerged as hotspots for this issue.
The scale of the crackdown, spanning traffickers, addicts and repeat offenders, reflects a growing urgency among authorities to stem not just supply but also the social fallout of a problem that continues to evolve on the ground, he said.
“Of the total 1,094 arrests, 167 were related to drug supply cases, 308 were for possession, and 619 were for individuals who tested positive for drugs,” Bernama quoted him saying during a press conference held at the Alor Akar Police Complex yesterday, in conjunction with the 219th Police Day celebration.
In addition to the arrests, he said his team had successfully located and rearrested 166 individuals who were wanted, as well as taken preventive measures against 20 persons 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.
Yahaya added that during the operation, more than 43kg of drugs worth an estimated RM158,054 were seized, involving methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Yaba pills, MDMA, ketum leaves and 355.6 litres of liquid ketum.
“The police also seized various assets suspected to be linked to drug activities, including cash and vehicles, with a total value of RM266,120,” he said.
He said Ops Hawk would continue throughout the year to curb drug abuse and address the other social impacts linked to it.
In a related matter, Yahaya said the state police were fully cooperating with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in the investigation concerning a senior police officer implicated in corruption.
Media reports indicated that a senior police officer has been remanded for five days, until May 2, to assist with investigations into allegations of soliciting and receiving bribes totalling about RM64,000 in exchange for providing protection to unlicensed entertainment outlets in a district of Pahang.
