Latest news with #Ecstasy
The Sun
18 hours ago
- The Sun
Finding real fix for Malaysia's vape crisis
SINGAPORE, despite having some of the world's toughest drug laws and a ban on vaping since 2018, is now facing a surge in drug-laced e-vaporisers. A recent report should give us all pause: vapes containing synthetic drugs like ketamine, MDMA, etomidate and even heroin are flooding into the country. Just this week, an officer from Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had to dive into a moving car to stop a suspected K-Pod dealer – a dramatic sign of how brazen and dangerous the trade has become. In just over a year, the HSA has seized more than S$41 million (RM135 million) worth of vapes and components. In 2019, that number was less than S$100,000. The problem has mutated: vapes are no longer just nicotine devices – they are becoming drug delivery systems. Singapore MP Yip Hon Weng was quoted in the article saying: 'As the landscape evolves, so must our legal tools.' He even proposed giving the Central Narcotics Bureau clearer authority to act the moment drug traces are detected. These are serious policy recommendations, especially coming from a country already known for its strong laws and swift enforcement. If Singapore is struggling, what about us? So far, Malaysia's response has been to encourage bans at the state level. Johor and Kelantan moved early, with Terengganu and Perlis set to follow this August. Kedah plans a ban by 2026 while states like Selangor and Penang are still weighing similar steps. But let us be honest – people can still cross state lines or order online. And just like Singapore, once trade goes underground, it becomes much harder to track what is inside these devices. In Singapore's case, a school study found that one in six confiscated vapes contained Spice, a type of synthetic cannabis. Prof Christopher Pudney from the University of Bath even found traces of heroin and Ecstasy in vape cartridges, and used a portable device to detect drugs in just 30 seconds. That is how far things have gone – from nicotine to narcotics in sleek little packages. Malaysia already has the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act to regulate vaping but are we using it to its full potential? Or are we creating a patchwork of inconsistent policies that fail to deal with the real issue? No one is claiming vaping is harmless but it is naive to think that bans alone will solve it. Singapore's experience shows that even the toughest laws fall short when enforcement cannot keep up with evolving threats. Instead of relying solely on bans, Malaysia should step up with smarter regulations, nationwide enforcement, drug testing of vape products and real education targeted at youths. Otherwise, we may wake up to the same nightmare or worse.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Indonesia seizes $590m worth of drugs so far in 2025, a six-year record haul
Find out what's new on ST website and app. – Indonesia is on track to record the largest drug seizures by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in six years, said its chief, with confiscation of methamphetamine reaching 3.41 tonnes, with a street value of $590 million, so far in 2025 . This half-year haul surpassed the total annual seizure in the previous five years. The latest raid in the waters off Batam in mid-May 2025 netted a record 2.1 tonnes of methamphetamine, a synthetic drug also known as meth. The amount can feed eight million meth addicts, with each gram typically consumed by four people. BNN confiscated less than a tonne for the whole of 2024, and between 2020 and 2023 annually netted between 1.2 and 2.8 tonnes, according to government data. Government agencies have also, so far in 2025 , seized 2.65 tonnes of other drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, with a street value of at least $95 million. In an interview on July 3, BNN chief Marthinus Hukom shed light on a drug-trafficking maritime route spanning Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. 'The production was in Myanmar while the vessel was built in Thailand,' said Commissioner-General Marthinus, referring to the meth seizure in May. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business $1.1 billion allocated to three fund managers to boost Singapore stock market: MAS Singapore Risk of flash floods in parts of central and eastern Singapore: PUB Singapore Malaysia-bound motorists urged to avoid Tuas Second Link on July 23 due to chemical spill exercise Singapore Trial of new dengue vaccine begins recruitment for child participants in Singapore Singapore Mandai Wildlife Group group CEO Mike Barclay to retire; Bennett Neo named as successor Singapore Fresh charge for woman who harassed nurse during pandemic, created ruckus at lion dance competition Singapore Witness stand not arena for humiliation in sex offence cases, judge reminds lawyers Asia Japan PM Ishiba under siege after ruling coalition loses Upper House majority Large-scale production of meth , combined with an ongoing war in Myanmar from 2021 have driven up the supply of the illicit drug in South-east Asia, said a recent report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Seizures of meth across the region were at record highs in 2024, totalling 236 tonnes, or a 24 per cent increase compared with the 2023 haul, said UNODC. Meth, a powerful and fast-acting stimulant, can harm a person's heart, teeth and brain if used regularly. It can also cause paranoia, mood swings and memory loss. In Indonesia, drug prevalence has remained at a worrying level despite a slight decline nationwide . Marijuana and meth are the two most-used drugs, followed by Ecstasy, ketamine, cocaine and prescription drug abuse. The number of police cases involving arrests of drug offenders in the first 11 months of 2024 was recorded at 53,672, up from 50,291 cases in 2023 and 44,983 in 2022, according to government data. Mr Marthinus revealed the meth seized in May was loaded on a trade ship in the Andaman Sea off Myanmar. The vessel, the Sea Dragon Tarawa, then sailed south through the Malacca Strait to the waters bordering Indonesia and Singapore. It later turned into the South China Sea, cruising off Kalimantan to drop off the meth packages for the Indonesian market, he said. The ship then entered Philippine and Taiwan waters to unload more drugs. Noting that drug packages sometimes fell off the vessel during trans-shipment, Mr Marthinus said: 'Small boats pick up merchandise from the passing vessel. In the past, local fishermen have found drug packages floating on the sea off North Kalimantan.' The ship later returned to the Andaman Sea for reloading, he added, citing data BNN collected from Automatic Identification System satellites on the vessel . The drugs dropped off near Kalimantan were later taken to Java and Sulawesi, among other places. According to BNN's analysis, the drugs normally enter Malaysia via boats from Sarawak's capital Kuching and the Philippines through Tawi-Tawi and Mindanao islands. Singapore was not on the delivery list of the Sea Dragon Tarawa. 'We have cut the trade chain for not only Asean countries but also Taiwan. We expect the drug rings will change their route,' said Mr Marthinus, a former head of Indonesia's anti-terror police squad Detachment 88. Meth in Indonesia is commonly consumed by labourers, plantation workers, drivers and nightlife workers, while marijuana is typically favoured by youth and students. Another synthetic drug, Ecstasy, is commonly used in nightclubs, said BNN . Mr Maturidi Putra, a former drug addict who has been clean for 10 years, said: 'The cure is as simple as returning to the life we had before we became addicted. Avoid the people and environment that led us there in the first place.' The entrepreneur, 51, is among scores of people who managed to return to a normal life without going through rehabilitation. Mr Denny Bintang , 39, an anti-drug activist who started a 6,400-member Facebook group promoting rehabilitation and campaigning against illicit drug, told The Straits Times many addicts are unaware of government facilities that offer free rehabilitation services. 'Most of them are afraid to come forward and use this service thinking they would be arrested,' said Mr Denny, noting there is low awareness that Indonesian law recognises some users as victims , not criminals. He also noted that privately run rehabilitation centres are expensive and not every addict or the family can afford it. The average retail price of meth in Indonesia in 2024 was about US$135 per gram (S$173), according to UNODC. But prices vary widely across the region, with the lowest prices reported near Myanmar and rising in places farther away. The per-gram street price is US$6 in Myanmar, US$79 in the Philippines and US$68 in Hong Kong, the UN agency said in a June 26 report. The May raid was a result of a five-month intelligence operation, Mr Marthinus said. The Sea Dragon Tarawa's six-member crew – four Indonesians and two Thais – were arrested, with evidence comprising 67 cardboard boxes, wrapped in plastic and camouflaged as green tea packages. Inside the boxes were 2,000 smaller packages of meth totalling 2.1 tonnes. Similar to a terror network, drug ring leaders target people from poor economic backgrounds to help them expand operations as they are easy to recruit, said Mr Marthinus. 'In the drug operations, they are the sales agents, couriers... We map out the regions in Indonesia that are prone to be recruitment centres. We do our work from there,' he added. Meanwhile, the total number of drug abusers remains a worry despite dipping slightly . Indonesia government data shows drug users in the 15 to 64 age group totalled 3.33 million people in 2023, compared with 3.66 million in 2021 . 'Demand dictates supply. The large quantity of drugs confiscated this year suggests that demand remains strong in Indonesia and elsewhere, while the country's low prevalence rate indicates that prevention and rehabilitation efforts have been effective,' Mr Yogo Tri Hendriarto, a criminologist at the University of Indonesia, told ST. But he noted that the lower number of drug abusers could be due to weaknesses in survey methodology.
Focus Malaysia
5 days ago
- Focus Malaysia
What Singapore's drug-laced vape problem tells us about Malaysia's approach
Letter to Editor SINGAPORE bans vaping, has some of the world's toughest drug laws, yet drug-laced vapes are flooding in. A recent report in The Straits Times should give all of us pause. Singapore, which banned vaping back in 2018, is now facing a surge in e-vaporisers laced with synthetic drugs like ketamine, MDMA, etomidate and even heroin. Just this week, an officer with the republic's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had to dive into a moving car to stop a suspected Kpod dealer in a dramatic sign of how brazen and dangerous the trade has become. For context, Kpods are vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients such as etomidate or ketamine. In just over a year, the HSA seized more than $41 million worth of vapes and parts. Back in 2019, that figure was less than $100,000. The problem has now mutated. Vapes are now turning into drug delivery devices. Singapore MP Yip Hon Weng was quoted in the article as saying: 'As the landscape evolves, so must our legal tools.' He even suggested giving the Central Narcotics Bureau clearer powers the moment drug traces are detected. These are serious policy recommendations, and they are coming from a country already known for strong laws and swift enforcement. If Singapore is struggling, what about us? Malaysia's response so far has been to encourage bans at the state level. Johor and Kelantan acted earlier, while Terengganu and Perlis are set to follow this August. Kedah is planning a ban by 2026, and others like Selangor and Penang are considering similar measures. But let's be honest—people can still cross state lines or order online. And just like Singapore, once things go underground, it gets harder to track what's really in these devices. In Singapore's case, a school study found that one in six confiscated vapes contained Spice, a type of synthetic cannabis. Professor Christopher Pudney from the University of Bath even found traces of heroin and Ecstasy in vape cartridges, and used a portable device to detect drugs in just 30 seconds. That is how far things have gone—from nicotine to narcotics in sleek little packages. Malaysia already has the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act to regulate vaping. But are we using it fully? Or are we creating a patchwork of inconsistent policies that fail to deal with the real issue? Nobody is saying vaping is harmless. But pretending that bans alone will fix the problem is naïve. The Singapore experience tells us that even the strictest laws are not enough when enforcement lags behind evolving threats. Instead of just banning, Malaysia should step up with smarter regulation, nationwide enforcement, drug testing of vape products, and real education targeted at youth. Otherwise, we may wake up to the same nightmare or worse. ‒ July 17, 2025 Tee Kim Hoe Butterworth, Penang The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: 2Firsts
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- New Indian Express
Uttarakhand's biggest ecstasy bust: Kingpin held, massive MDMA seizure
DEHRADUN: A major illicit drug manufacturing unit has been busted in Nanakmatta, Uttarakhand, resulting in the arrest of its alleged operator, Kunal Ram Kohli from Tanakpur. According to police sources, the joint operation conducted by the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) and Udham Singh Nagar Police also led to the recovery of significant quantities of raw materials used in the production of MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy), sourced from Banaras and Ghaziabad. Speaking to TNIE, Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police, Manikant Mishra, said: 'We have confiscated 126 litres of banned chemicals and 28 kilograms of powder. This raw material was sufficient to produce approximately 12 kilograms of MDMA. Additionally, 7.41 grams of finished MDMA were also seized during the raid. This marks one of the largest drug-related crackdowns in the region to date.' Providing further details on Tuesday, Director General of Police Deepam Seth linked the arrest to earlier operations. 'On 11 July, Champawat Police had arrested a woman named Isha, from whom over five kilograms of MDMA were seized. Prior to this, the Mumbai Police and Crime Branch had also conducted operations in various parts of the Kumaon region,' DGP Seth stated. Investigations had earlier revealed that MDMA was being produced at a chicken farm in the Thal police station area of Pithoragarh. Mumbai Police had arrested several traffickers and manufacturers from that site.
Borneo Post
15-07-2025
- Borneo Post
Customs foils RM1 mln Ecstasy smuggling attempt in Sibu
The suspected MDMA pills inside the vitamin containers. SIBU (July 15): The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has foiled an attempt to smuggle 5.23 kilograms of Ecstasy (MDMA) pills into Sibu, with an estimated street value of RM1.002 million. Sarawak Customs director Norizan Yahya said the seizure followed surveillance by the department's Narcotics Unit on an unclaimed parcel at a local courier company. 'On June 20, at approximately 12.10pm, our officers inspected a suspicious parcel that had remained unclaimed for three days. 'Upon thorough examination, they discovered 12 plastic containers labeled 'Vitamin C 1000 tablets',' he said in a statement today. A thorough inspection revealed 12 plastic containers labelled 'Vitamin C 1000 tablets'. Inside each were aluminum packets filled with pills shaped like a popular Japanese cartoon character, believed to be MDMA. Norizan said the synthetic drug is listed as a dangerous substance under Part I, First Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Initial investigations suggest the drugs were smuggled via courier from Peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak, concealed in vitamin supplement containers and transported by air. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment, plus at least 15 strokes of the cane upon conviction. Norizan also urged the public to support ongoing efforts to curb smuggling of contraband, including cigarettes, alcohol, fireworks, drugs, and vehicles. 'Smuggling not only results in revenue losses for the country but also poses a threat to national security and public well-being,' he said. He called on the public to report any smuggling activity via the Customs toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-8855 or by contacting the nearest Customs office. Informant identities will be kept strictly confidential. Customs Department Ecstacy mdma Sibu smuggle
