SEREMBAN: Negri Sembilan police detained 626 individuals for various drug trafficking offences in the first half of this year, with 97 arrested under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment, says state CPO Dep Comm Datuk Alzafny Ahmad.
He said the number of traffickers detained was also higher than the 555 recorded in the corresponding period of last year.
"Most of those detained this time around were masterminds and financiers of syndicates,” he told reporters at the state police contingent on Thursday (July 9).
DCP Alzafny said police also detained 1,204 individuals for drug possession during the period as against 1,083 during the same period last year.
"In total, we seized drugs worth some RM19mil in the first six months of this year with syabu (meth), ganja (cannabis) and ketamine topping the list," he said.
However, the number of individuals who tested positive for drug abuse till June this year registered a decrease with 1,811 compared to 2,354 during the same period last year.
Among those detained was a 13-year-old boy, the self-employed and civil servants, including teachers.
A total of 3,213 investigation papers were opened in the first six months of this year under the Dangerous Drugs Act and Poisons Act, with 1,868 suspects charged in court.
"In the process, we managed to forfeit assets worth more than RM1.1mil from those convicted," he said, partly attributing its success to public cooperation.
Earlier, DCP Alzafny witnessed the handing over of various types of narcotics and chemicals involving 2,184 cases and worth some RM2mil to Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd to be destroyed.
The narcotics were confiscated between 2001 and 2026, with all related legal proceedings now fully disposed of by the courts.
