JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor police have seized various types of drugs, weighing 5.08 tonnes, with a value of RM35.83 million, throughout last year.
State police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said during the same period, the police also seized various assets belonging to drug syndicates, worth RM16.6 million.
He said that as many as 16,598 people were arrested for various drug-related offences, which is the third highest in the country.
Of the total, 615 people were repeat drug abuse offenders, while 217 others were detained under the Special Prevention Measures (LLPK).
“In terms of the prosecution rate, the state Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) has prosecuted 5,728 cases and solved 12,947 cases. A total of 16 drug trafficking syndicates were busted, with 98 arrests.
“Starting in January 2023, special operations, dubbed ‘Op Tapis Khas’, were carried out statewide by focusing on hotspot areas, including fishermen jetties, public housing projects (PPR) and Felda settlements,” he said in a statement today.
According to Kamarul Zaman, 1,478 people were arrested under ‘Op Tapis Khas’ for various drug offences, namely 191 cases (trafficking), 293 (drug possession) and 994 (drug addicts).
He said that 175 suspects on the wanted list were also detained in the operations.
“The state NCID also raided 1,423 entertainment centres statewide under ‘Op Pusat Hiburan’, with 15,243 people inspected and 1,105 arrested for various drug offences,” he said.–Bernama