Probe to extend to state, district police headquarters

JOHOR BARU: Investigations into the case of 16 policemen who have allegedly been colluding with drug syndicates will be extended to state and district police headquarters level.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had informed Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, his deputy, Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim, and federal Narcotics Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff to take immediate action against those involved.

“The investigation is comprehensive and will include state and district police headquarters... the action being meted out is not only internal disciplinary action, but will involve legal action,” he said after a ground-breaking ceremony for the Ibrahim International Business District public infrastructure project here yesterday.

Zahid was commenting on the arrests of 16 policemen under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 for allegedly colluding with drug syndicates.

The New Straits Times broke the news in a front page report on Saturday, revealing that the policemen included senior officers ranked as high as deputy superintendent.

Zahid, who is also home minister, said the government wanted to combat the threat of drugs, but because of these “invisible hands” who sold information on police actions, or colluded with syndicates, the efforts were unsuccessful.

“We will not protect anybody involved in this matter and we will cooperate with all agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to determine the appropriate legal action.”

He said the ministry had never denied the possibility that there may be leaks in police operations, which was why the elite teams, namely the Special Task Force for Anti-vice, Gaming and Gangsterism,