PDRM IN UNISON WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO STOP DRUG TRAFFICKING - JSJN DIRECTOR

SUBANG JAYA, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- Police always worked hand in glove with other government agencies to curb illicit drug smuggling into the country, said director of the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN), Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin.

He said such closely-knit cooperation is paramount to ensure the effectiveness of efforts to prevent drug smuggling because the country's borders in the Peninsula as well as Sabah and Sarawak are very long.

"In addition to bringing in drugs for the local market, syndicates also make this country a transit point before distribution is done to other countries at a higher price.

"Abroad, these drugs are sold at up to five times the local market price which is RM33,000 per kilo for syabu," he said during a press conference at the Subang Jaya district police headquarters.

Khaw said the elusive 'rat trails' used by drug cartels to bring in the prohibited substances are also changed frequently to outwit the operations and controls laid out by the authorities.

He said the actual number of rat trails cannot be ascertained because such trails are changed from time to time to avoid being tracked by the authorities.

"They can cover up and re-route these trails quickly after they are used once," he said.

Earlier, media reported that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain informed that a total of 193 drug syndicates have been busted and a total of 612 syndicate members arrested for the period from January to September.

Razarudin said that in the same period, a total of 8,996.1 kilogrammes (kg) of various drugs and 4,749.05 litres of liquid drugs as well as 39,105.37 kg of ketum leaves and 43,499.85 litre of ketum juice were confiscated.

-- BERNAMA