OVER 500 KG OF KETUM LEAVES SEIZED, EIGHT MEN INCLUDING THREE FAMILY MEMBERS DETAINED

KUANTAN, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- Police have dismantled the sale of ketum leaves in this district with the seizure of over 500 kilogrammes (kg) in a raid on a house in Jalan Gambang, Felda Lepar Hilir 1 here yesterday.

Kuantan district police chief ACP Ashari Abu Samah said that as a result of intelligence and operations conducted at 2.40 pm, they also arrested eight unemployed local men aged between 18 and 46.

He said six of the suspects were arrested in the premises and in the back of a lorry, while the other two men were arrested in a garage in front of the house.

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He said that three of the suspects were found to be related, namely a 46-year-old father who is believed to be the main mastermind of the activity and his two children.

"Upon inspection of the vehicle, police found 23 transparent plastic bags containing ketum leaves with an estimated total weight of 509.7 kg

"We also found the ketum leaves were placed on ice and stored in rice straw before being wrapped in plastic, possibly to maintain their freshness," he said at a press conference at the Kuantan district police headquarters here today.

Ashari said that among the items found were some cooking utensils for ketum leaves, including two gas stoves, two pots, a weighing scale and a gas cylinder.

He said the market value of the seized ketum leaves was estimated at RM20,400 and could reach up to RM52,500 if processed, in addition to being used by approximately 3,500 individuals.

According to him, the modus operandi of the syndicate involved using rental trucks to deceive the authorities while carrying out the sale and purchase of ketum leaves, which is suspected to have been active since last July.

Initial investigations revealed that two of the suspects, the driver and the lorry attendant, admitted to receiving a fee of RM1,200 for each delivery.

Both suspects also admitted to receiving orders and renting a lorry to deliver ketum leaves around Kuantan. The vehicle bearing the logo of a delivery company had been used at least four times for delivery transactions," he also said.

He added that all suspects, who tested negative in the initial urine screening, were remanded for four days until Oct 20, and the case is being investigated under Section 30(3) of the Poison Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA