Batu Lintang rep highlights urgent need for tech-based drug screening, detection systems in S’wak

KUCHING (July 13): Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How has called upon the federal government to immediately equip law enforcement agencies and departments in Sarawak with contemporary and efficient technology-based drug screening and detection systems.

See, also the chairman of Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Sarawak, had observed that the departments and agencies involved were still lacking in terms of technology-based drug screening and detection systems, and trained drug searching and detection canines.

“I believe that this is a common problem faced throughout the country,” he said, while recalling a recent drug bust where the Sarawak Customs Department had seized 60kg of drugs worth over RM1.9 million from a courier company in Kuching on July 4.

See said that the police and Customs Department had recorded no less than 10 successful drug busts throughout the country within the last one month, including four in Sarawak.

“Those successful operations mostly resulted from intelligence gathered, and it appears to be the modus operandi – that the illegal drug smuggling and trafficking syndicates are making use of the courier and logistic companies in their illegal operations and activities.

“But the courier and logistic companies and handlers are only responsible for the receiving, transportation and delivering of the parcels, packets and loads in between the ports of loading (POL) and ports of discharge (POD), from the shippers to the consignees, having no knowledge of what were in the parcels, packets and cargo, save that they were declared by the shippers.

“In law and practice, there are no provisions allowing them to open the parcels, packets and cargo. Only the police, customs and authorised agencies such as the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) can legally open and check the contents of the parcels, packets and cargo upon receiving reliable intelligence,” he said.

As such, See said relying on the intelligence gathered alone had its limitations.

The ports, airports and border checkpoints in the country must be equipped with efficient technology-based drug screening and detecting systems and canines to sniff out the drugs that are illegally smuggled in and out of the country, he stressed.

“Very unfortunately, our ports, airports and border checkpoints are very poorly equipped, particularly Sarawak. We have only one drug screening system set up at the Kuching airport, purchased by the Sarawak government, and the police have only one aged trained drug ‘sniffer’ or detection dog in Miri.

“The inadequacy is daunting, and this calls for the urgent and immediate actions by the federal government to equip all Sarawakian ports, airports and border checkpoints with the needed tracing and detecting systems and facilities, and trained canines,” he added.

“Sarawak, due to its vastness, with a long coastline, an extensive and yet porous border, will need an enormous concerted effort of the government, all the enforcement agencies, social and civil organisations and each individual Sarawakian to safeguard Sarawak against drug abuse, smuggling and trafficking,” he added.

Meanwhile, See lauded the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the Royal Malaysia Police for the series of successful drug busts in Sarawak over the past few months.