Narcotics police keep an eye on water villages, islands

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KOTA KINABALU: The police will be monitoring all water villages and islands in their effort to fight drugs activities in the country, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak.

RMP Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the police were taking the matter seriously, especially on small groups of drug dealers who are actively operating in these areas.

Realizing that the small groups of drug dealers may have the upper hand when fleeing from the enforcement units, in view of their knowledge of the areas where they operate, alternative approach would have to be taken before any fruitful raids could be made by the police, he said.

Noor Rashid said cooperation and vital information from the public is key in ensuring the success of the police in curbing drug activities in the water villages and islands, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Our main focus would be to reduce drug activities that involve drug addicts and drug pushers, from taking place in these areas.

“Cooperation and information from members of the public is very important to ensure the success of the police in combating drug activities in our country,” he said after witnessing the closing ceremony of a Basic Police Course held at the Sabah Police Headquarters training centre (Pulapol) in Kepayan here yesterday.

Also present were State Police Head of Administration, SAC II Noor Azam Jamaludin and Sabah Pulapol commander Superintendent Mohd. Azhar Hamin.
Commenting on the success of the police in combating drug trafficking in the country, Noor Rashid said the number of arrests and seizures made by the police this year have increased by six percent compared to previous years.

He said cooperation from the Malaysia Customs Department and Malaysia Airport Berhad (MAB) had allowed the police to stop many attempts to smuggle drugs into the country, especially via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

He said the latest approach used by drug traffickers to smuggle drugs into Malaysia is through Thailand by crossing the Bukit Kayu Hitam and Rantau Panjang borders.

“We will continue to monitor those areas in our efforts to fight drug activities in our country,” he said.