By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, Sept 25: Sarawak Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK Sarawak) is the most active Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) Contingent in Malaysia.
According to statistics, since 2017 until present, a total of 294 integrated operations were conducted, resulting in a total of 19,113 cases and 20,438 arrests.
Out of the 19,113 cases, 142 involved 309 arrests under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty upon conviction.
Since 2016 until April this year, the total volume of drugs seized from the operations headed by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) and Customs Department Sarawak are ‘ganja’ at 46.18kg; ‘syabu’ (79.46kg); liquid-type ‘syabu’ (3,181 litres); ketamine (9.55kg); Ecstasy (52,389 pills and powder form 7.7kg); Eramin (12,950 pills and powder form 0.4kg); and Nospan (28,200 pills).
The police may not be able to completely eliminate drug trafficking, dealing, addiction or substance abuse in Sarawak, but they can reduce the numbers, assured Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Dev Kumar M. M. Sree.
Aggressive crackdown in raids have been taken this year to address drug and substance abuse and the police will not pause their operations.
“We will continue the fight against drug-related crimes in the state. That being said, we also are committed to helping the Ministry of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development when it comes to drug substance (abuse) and violence against women and children,” Dev said after his courtesy visit on its minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, today.
Dev also pointed out that the arrests and seizure of drugs were a big deal because the department was able to disrupt and minimise the supply of illegal drugs in the market.
Meanwhile, Fatimah said to ensure that the whole chain of issues related to drug and substance abuse in Sarawak is addressed, the ministry is collaborating and coordinating strategic interventions with relevant enforcement and non-enforcement agencies.
“Through existing and planned collective collaboration and integrated efforts within the One Stop Committee (OSC) on illicit drugs and substances issues set up in the state, district and village levels in Sarawak, common hiccups and obstacles can be overcome.
“The way forward for Sarawak is to sustain an integrated intervention approach, from ‘womb to tomb’, to address this. It means, addressing the complete cycle in the chain from enforcement, to prosecution, treatment, rehabilitation and drug use,” she added.
Fatimah also acknowledged the active participation and commitment from the police in other integrated governance to address other social issues in Sarawak, such as the One Stop Committee for Teenage Pregnancy, One Stop Crisis Committee, Randau Pembangunan Social outreach programme, Sexual Awareness Education programme and other community dialogues.
These includes their involvement and roles in addressing social issues of concern to the ministry, including teenage pregnancy, sexual crimes against children and women, domestic violence, petty and property crime and commercial crimes.
Meanwhile, Fatimah said the ministry acknowledged the issues and challenges faced by the police in Sarawak in executing their duties and responsibilities due to limitations such as logistics, public perception and others.
Having said that, she also reassured Dev that the state government, through the ministry, is always ready for future collaboration and partnership with the police to achieve public safety and community well being in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
