JOHOR BARU: More than 300 people were arrested for drug-related offences in a statewide police operation that began on Wednesday (July 27).

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said 579 people were inspected during the operation dubbed Ops Tapis Khas that ran from 1am on Wednesday until around midnight on Friday (July 29).

“Of the 579 people we checked, 373 of them were arrested for various drug-related offences. This includes 27 cases involving drug supply, 54 for drug possession and 292 for drug consumption," he added.

He said that the operation is meant to curb the distribution and use of drugs statewide.

“It involves inspections at Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) and housing areas, bus and taxi terminals, Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ), Road Transport Department (JPJ) enforcement stations and roadblocks," said Comm Kamarul Zaman.

He added that action was taken against 28 of the suspects under Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures) and 41 of them would have action taken against them under Section 39C of the same Act.

He said in a statement here on Saturday (July 30) that those arrested were aged between 18 and 70, and that 355 were men and 18 were women.

He added that some 63 of the suspects are those in the wanted list while 28 of them are drug suppliers.

“We also seized 143.37g of heroin, 107.98g of syabu, 97.94g of cannabis and four Erimin 5 pills which is worth about RM20,772 in total. The drugs seized could feed the addiction of some 1,358 users,” he said.

He also said that a total of 1,755 people have been arrested for various drug offences under Ops Tapis Khas since early this year.

“Between Jan 1 and July 29, we have arrested a total of 8,383 people for various drugs offences and seized a total of 2.27 tonnes of drugs worth about RM10.4mil,” he added.