Advance technologies bring challenges to police in tackling drug-related crimes

KUALA LUMPUR: Drug traffickers are now deploying information technology in their clandestine operations and this has become a major challenge to the police, said Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID), principal assistant director SAC Zulkifli Ali.

He said the police became aware of a marked increase in number of drug addicts when these irresponsible parties began to use the internet to sell drugs on social media.

“The drug traffickers will take the opportunity of technological advances to run their drug trafficking operations by doing business online,” he said at the “Jihad Against Drug Abuse Forum” at Dewan Utusan here yesterday.

According to Zulkifli, the situation has become more alarming because based on arrests made since 2014 to May 2017, 71 percent of addicts caught were from the Malay community.

“As such everyone should assist the police in tackling this issue as this is a shared responsibility. In fact only 30 percent of the responsibilities lies with the police, the rest are the responsibilities of parents, educators and community members,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zulkifli said another challenge faced by the police was the production of modern drugs such as methamphetamine, which could be produced in laboratories in contrast to traditional drugs which were plant-based.

He said to avoid being detected by the police, those involved in manufacturing modern drugs in the laboratories were often prepared to move from time to time.

“The drugs can now be produced in various forms and they are innovatively packed, making it difficult for the authorities to determine whether the items are drugs or not,” he said.

The forum organised by the Malay Consultative Council in collaboration with the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF), Drug Prevention Association of Malaysia (Pemadam) and Utusan Melayu Bhd was attended by over 100 participants to work on a more effective action plan to tackle drug problem.

Among the participants were representatives from Pemadam, Persatuan Pengasih Malaysia, Malaysian Islamic Development Department, Institute of Islamic Understanding, Home Ministry and National Security Council. - Bernama