Ketum leaf seizures by the Police in Perlis increased 60 per cent this year compared to last year.

Perlis police chief, Datuk Surina Saad, said 98,250.10kg of leaves with an estimated value of RM3.93 million were seized from January 1 - July 31 this year.

"The increase is due to daily operations by police to stop ketum leaf smuggling in the state," she said at a press conference on the destruction of ketum leaves and items related to drug cases series 2/2020 at the Padang Besar district police headquarters today.

Today, 30 tonnes of ketum leaves and 211.38gm of drug case related articles with an estimated value of RM1.76 million were destroyed as per the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and the Poisons Act 1952.

Surina said the police will intensify its operations in order to stop ketum smuggling and drug abuse.

She said that 503 suspects were arrested and charged under the Poisons Act 1952 from January 1 to July 31 this year.

During this period, as well, 1,533 suspects were arrested for various drug-related offenses involving 5,016.12gm of different types of drugs.

-- BERNAMA