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New Straits Times

[UPDATED] 10.5pct drop in drug addicts due to Kelantan 'rat route' closures

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has recorded a 10.5 per cent decrease in the number of drug addicts in the first quarter of this year, primarily driven by a decline in Kelantan. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that this reduction followed government efforts to close illegal entry points in four states, including Kelantan, which were previously identified as major routes for drug smuggling. As of March 2025, a total of 108,409 drug addicts and substance abusers have been detected nationwide, with 60 per cent of the cases involving new addicts. "This marks a 10.5 per cent decrease compared to 121,170 cases recorded during the same period in 2024. The drop can be attributed to the decline in numbers in Kelantan, which is closely linked to our efforts to shut down illegal entry points — one of the main contributors to the influx of drugs," he said. He said that when the government launched enforcement operations, it also intensified awareness programmes. "The data shows that four states near the border — Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, and Kedah — are most affected. We have increased police operations, tightened border controls, and conducted more awareness talks. "As a result, we are seeing a decline. However, it's still too early to draw definitive conclusions. According to National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) director-general Datuk Ruslin Juson, we need to observe the second and third quarters to gain a clearer picture," he added. Saifuddin has set a new target of limiting the number of new drug users to 60,000. Based on manual analysis by Nada, he said the districts with the highest number of drug-related cases, included Pendang, Kuala Krai, Pasir Putih, and Tanah Merah. He said that individuals involved in drugs were often prone to committing other crimes. "From 395,000 raw data entries we receive every month through police reports, analysis reveals that if someone is already involved under Section 15(1)(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act — drug use — they are likely to be involved in up to 28 other types of crimes. If they are involved in minor drug possession under Section 12(2) of the same Act, they have the potential to commit up to 11 other crimes," he said. Saifuddin also announced a collaboration between Nada and the National Geospatial Centre to develop an application for drug profiling.