IPOH: Perak police are set to dispose of RM545,676.43 worth of seized drugs and ketum.
Deputy state police chief Deputy Comm Zulkafli Sariaat said the drugs were from 4,313 investigation papers involving cases from 2000 to last year, for which court proceedings had now been completed.
The disposal exercise will involve drugs seized from 15 districts – Ipoh, Taiping, Manjung, Hilir Perak, Tapah, Kuala Kangsar, Batu Gajah, Sg Siput, Muallim, Kampar, Gerik, Kerian, Pengkalan Hulu, Selama and Perak Tengah.
"The drugs include heroin (9,082.18 g), cannabis (7,056.22 g), methamphetamine (syabu) (1,620.24 g), ketum leaves (3,174,539.95g, or over three tonnes), ketum liquid (5,535 litres) and cough syrup (1,715ml).
"Most of it will be sent to a disposal site at Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd in Negri Sembilan, while the ketum will be sent to the solid waste sanitary disposal site in Papan, Perak," he said at a narcotics case item disposal ceremony at state police contingent headquarters here on Thursday (Sept 26).
In addition, he said, 14,234 people were arrested for drug offences in the state from January to August.
Of this number, 1,771 were arrested for trafficking.
"Of those suspects, 366 were arrested under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the possibility of the death penalty.
"Additionally, 88 people were arrested under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 on suspicion of being key figures, planners, or financiers of syndicates," he added.
"The total value of drug seizures in trafficking and possession cases came to RM5.9mil, mostly involving syabu, heroin, and ketamine," he said.
Assets from suspected drug traffickers worth RM7.1mil were seized or frozen in this period, including houses, land, jewellery, vehicles and bank accounts, he added.