Seized drugs worth billions to be destroyed
Incineration will be done in stages, says Comm Noor Azam
SEREMBAN: Illicit drugs worth billions of ringgit seized from 13 districts in Selangor in recent years will be incinerated in stages, says Comm Datuk Noor Azam Jamaludin.
The Selangor police chief said so far, they had destroyed 143,240kg of drugs worth RM7.3bil that were seized from three other districts over a 14-year-period.
Comm Noor Azam said the drugs from the 13 districts would be incinerated at the Kualiti Alam waste treatment plant here once all the cases have been disposed by the courts.
“Today, drugs seized from the districts of Gombak, Kajang and Klang Utara will be incinerated, which is the standard operating procedure, as all the cases have been heard and disposed by the courts.
“The drugs from other districts, which I believe should be higher in amount, will also be destroyed at this facility in due course,” he told reporters after the ceremony yesterday.
Comm Noor Azam said the drugs were seized between 2003 and 2017, and comprised ketamine, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, Erimin 5 pills and ephedrine – a chemical used to process drugs.
“We are committed and will be proactive in our fight against the menace and take stern action against traffickers,” he said.
Comm Noor Azam said 16,318 suspects were arrested for the first nine months of this year over various drug-related offences.
Of these, he said 670 of them were being probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries the death penalty or life-time imprisonment and 15 strokes of the rotan. Police also seized cash, properties and vehicles, worth some RM10.7mil, during the period.
“Since last year, Selangor police have crippled 10 illicit drugs processing labs and seized drugs worth RM77.16mil,” he said.
Separately, Comm Noor Azam said 35 policemen, including an officer with the rank of ASP, have been detained under Ops Blue Devil after they were found to be involved in drugs abuse, adding that 22 of them have been charged in court.
“We will not compromise on this as it can affect the image of the police force,” he said.
Kualiti Alam managing director Dr Johari Jalil said the drugs would be incinerated using the “waste-to-energy” concept.
“The drugs would be burnt at between 1,000 and 1,200°C and then sent to a landfill.
“The entire process should take less than 24 hours,” he said.