AADK personnel conducting urine screening on motorists during the operation.
KUCHING: An inter-agency operation to combat drug abuse in the state saw 23 individuals detained on Saturday after they tested positive for drugs.
The operation, led by National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Sarawak, also involved personnel from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), police and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU).
AADK Sarawak district chief Sharifah Azimah Said Ismail said out of a total of 148 individuals tested during the operation, 23 were found positive for drugs.
No drug seizure was made during the operation, which was conducted along Jalan Matang here from 8pm to 11pm.
“Of those detained, 22 will be investigated under Section 3(1) of the Drug Addicts, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act 1983, while the remaining individual will be investigated under Section 6(2) of the same Act,” she told reporters.
JPJ personnel manning roadblocks along Jalan Matang on Saturday.
Those detained during the operation were aged between 13 and 40, she added.
Sharifah Azimah pointed out that Saturday’s operation was the second conducted this year, with the first held at Masja in March.
Commenting on drug abuse cases in Kuching, she said 703 cases have been recorded since 2015, noting however that the situation is still under control.
The three-hour operation saw JPJ and police personnel setting up road blocks on both lanes along Jalan Matang.
JPJ Enforcement Unit deputy chief Mohd Aminullah disclosed that summonses issued during the operation mostly involved expired road tax, expired driving licence, and other technical offences.
Meanwhile, Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, when met during the operation, said he fully supported efforts initiated by AADK Sarawak, especially against drug abuse involving youths in his constituency.