KUCHING: A total of 20.68kg of various types of drugs worth some RM1.78 million were seized by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Sarawak and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) Sarawak in January this year.
The haul represented a 10.92 percent increase compared to December last year, which recorded 18.65kg of drugs seized.
This was revealed by Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah during a press conference on the One Stop Committee (OSC) January report on addressing drug and substance abuse (MIDS) today (Feb 17).
The report stated that 13.9kg of the drugs seized in January were syabu/methamphetamine, 4.8kg of ganja, and 1.8kg of ketamine.
For drugs in the form of pills, a total of 1,144 pills were seized in Sarawak throughout January. Of these, 709 were Eramin 5 pills and 435 were Nospan pills.
The total value of drugs seized since January last year was estimated at RM20.22 million.
In January this year, police made nine arrests under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, and seized various types of property worth over RM317,700 from drug dealers under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.
The OSC MIDS January report stated that 205 persons in Sarawak were jailed for various offences related to drug and substance abuse.
Fatimah disclosed that the number of People Under Supervision (OKP) being monitored by the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) Sarawak had increased from 1,880 in December last year to 1,922 cases in January – a 2.23 percent increase.
The OSC MIDS January report stated that 124 clients were undergoing treatment and recovery at the Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centre (CCRC) by court order, while 19 clients were receiving treatment voluntarily at the Cure and Care Clinic (C&C) Kuching run by the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) Sarawak.
It also reported that for the month of January, five individuals involved in substance abuse had come forward for treatment at the One Stop Centre for Addiction (OSCA) run by the State Health Department (JKNS) at Tudan Health Clinic in Miri.
To increase the treatment and rehabilitation capacity through OSCA, JKNS has expanded OSCA services at the Petra Jaya Health Clinic, Kuching starting January this year.
As of January 31, only one individual involved in substance abuse has come forward to receive treatment at the health clinic.
The committee urged individuals involved in substance abuse in Kuching to voluntarily come forward for treatment and rehabilitation at the Petra Jaya Health Clinic OSCA.
Throughout January, a total of 1,197 individuals have come forward for treatment due to substance addiction in the form of alcohol and tobacco at JKNS facilities.
The report notes that all 40 districts in Sarawak have established their respective OSC MIDS.
