Penang not a transit hub for drug trafficking — Khalid
KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the claim by Thai authorities that Penang is a transit hub for drug trafficking is inaccurate.
“Just because drugs come to Penang or two to three people are involved in drugs does not make the state a transit hub for drug trafficking.
“In fact, most of the drug bust in Thailand is a result of cooperation with Malaysian police,” he told reporters at a function to pin ranks on senior police officers at Bukit Aman here, yesterday.
Khalid said the factors that lead to drug activities include the business ties between the people in Penang and the people in southern Thailand.
“We know that these drugs also come from Thailand and brought to southern Thailand before smuggled into Malaysia and then to other countries.
“The Golden Triangle is recognised as among the largest drug producer in the world. This makes Thailand a part of it,” he said when asked to comment on a remark by Southern Thailand AntiNarcotics Division acting chief, Maj Gen Dussadee Choosankij that Penang is a transit hub for drug trafficking.
Choosankij said the drugs would be exported to another country upon reaching Penang.
“I think Malaysia ( Penang) is a hub (for drugs trafficked from Thailand) as it has a port and there are Malaysian syndicates which have connection with drug
syndicates in other countries.
“The major market for these drugs (via Penang) is Taiwan and after reaching Taiwan, it will be re- exported to other countries,” he told Bernama recently.
Khalid said the government was drafting a new policy in facing the drug threat in this country but declined to elaborate on the matter.
Earlier, he witnessed the appointment of Datuk Abdul
Just because drugs come to Penang or two to three people are involved in drugs does not make the state a transit hub for drug trafficking. In fact, most of the drug bust in Thailand is a result of cooperation with Malaysian police. Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, Inspector General of Police
Ghafar Rajab as Director of Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS).
Abdul Ghafar replaces Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman who retires tomorrow. — Bernama