M'SIA NOT WORLD'S SYABU PROCESSING, TRAFFICKING CENTRE - POLICE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is not a major syabu processing and
trafficking centre in the world although several seizures of the drug worth
millions of ringgit have been made of late.

Federal police headquarters' Narcotics Investigation Department acting director,
Othman Harun, said most of the drug seized were found to have originated from
other countries and brought in by foreigners for use by their fellow nationals
such as students and tourists.

"Most of the syabu brought in were the end-product and not processed here.

"The drug was for use by the traffickers' fellow nationals like from Nigeria,
Turkey, Iran and of late, Bulgaria."

He was speaking to reporters after the handing-over of duties by the
department's director Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin to him in Bukit Aman (Police
Headquarters), here, Thursday. Also present was Deputy Inspector-General of
Police Ismail Omar.

Othman said the efforts by some foreigners to use Malaysia as a drug processing
and trafficking centre by setting up illegal laboratories since 2006 had often
been foiled by police operations.

"Since 2006, we have raided 14 big syabu and heroin processing labs. Their
number has dropped and difficult to detect now.

"This year alone, we have arrested 89 Iranians and seized from them 245kg of
syabu worth RM6 million (US$1.96 million)."

Othman said such drugs could be found everywhere, not just in Malaysia as drug
processing and trafficking was a global problem.

According to him, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), an
agency mandated to assist member states fight against illicit drugs, crime and
terrorism, had never placed Malaysia as a major drug processing or trafficking
centre.

However, he said, there must be continuous cooperation among all quarters in
relaying information on drug cases to prevent this country from becoming a drug
processing and trafficking centre.

Meanwhile, Zulhasnan who has served the Royal Malaysian Police for 38 years will
go on compulsory retirement on Sept 12.

A statement issued by Bukit Aman said that during Zulhasnan's three-year tenure
as federal Narcotics Investigation Department director, its performance had
increased by 19 per cent in 2009 from 2008.

It said arrests made had also increased by 37 per cent, the highest achieved so
far.
-- BERNAMA