BY BARINA NANI
KUCHING: The number of drug and substance abuse cases in the state is still alarming with 1,087 cases recorded and 1,064 arrests made in September alone.
Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the cases and arrests were the result of 847 operations conducted by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) as well as Customs Department.
However, she said the number of cases recorded decreased by 17.97 percent compared to last August.
“Of the total, 33 cases (related to the supply and distribution of drugs and substances) involving 53 arrests were recorded while for cases under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (drug trafficking), nine cases involving 21 arrests were made.
“For drug possession cases, 166 cases involving 220 arrests were made while 796 cases under Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 involving 778 arrests were recorded,” she told a press conference at Baitul Makmur II here yesterday.
Meanwhile, for the same period, she added 37.90kg of various types of drugs were seized. They consisted 25.81kg of syabu, 4.91kg of ketamine, 704.5g of cannabis and 151g of ecstasy.
“Drug seizures dropped by 55.6 percent compared to last August.
“Apart from that, in September alone too, 1,967 people were categorised as persons under supervision with 145 people receiving treatment and rehabilitation at the Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centre (CCRC) under court order and 24 people receiving treatment voluntarily at the Cure and Care (C&C) Clinic Kuching run by AADK Sarawak.
“From Jan 1 to Sep 30 this year, 30 people came forward for treatment at the One Stop Centre for Addiction (OSCA) at the Tudan Health Clinic,” explained Fatimah.
