05-08-2025
14,146 held for drug offences this year
Cracking down: DCP Mohd Alwi (fourth from left) inspecting the seized drugs before sending it off for disposal. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
KEPALA BATAS: Drug seizures worth RM33.82mil were recorded in the first seven months of the year, leading to the arrest of 14,146 individuals in Penang, says state acting police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin.
Of the total, 7,196 individuals had been charged in court for various offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, he said.
DCP Mohd Alwi said 4,498 investigation papers related to drug trafficking and possession were also opened during this period.
He added that another 7,938 investigations were conducted for drug abuse offences under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, while actions were taken against 251 individuals under Section 39C(1) of the same Act.
'The arrests were the result of continuous operations and intelligence-led enforcement efforts, targeting traffickers, distributors and users across the state,' he said during a press conference at the North Seberang Perai police headquarters' centralised evidence storage facility in Jalan Kedah yesterday.
Earlier, DCP Mohd Alwi witnessed the disposal of 120.9kg of seized drugs worth about RM2mil.
The drugs included 19.75kg of heroin and monoacetylmorphine, 53.57kg of cannabis, 2.9kg of ketamine, 42.61kg of methamphetamine and 2.1kg of various psychotropic pills.
He said the substances were seized during 5,265 investigation cases handled by the state Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) between 2010 and 2024, covering five districts in Penang.
