Three Including a Civil Servant Arrested for Distributing Ketum Water, Leaves

KUANTAN: Three men, including a civil servant, were arrested together with 627 litres of ketum water and 160 kilograms of ketum leaves in three separate operations around this district, last Monday.

General Operations Force (PGA) Southeast Brigade Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said, as a result of Op Taring Mitra which began from 4.30 pm to 11 pm, several ketum processing equipment as well as three vehicles with a total estimated value of RM146,810 were seized.

According to him, investigations found that one suspect had been involved in the sale of ketum water since 2020 as a ‘runner’ with a commission of RM1 for each bottle as well as a salary payment of RM4,000 per month.

“The second suspect is believed to have obtained ketum leaf supplies from Kedah for personal use and for resale.

“The third suspect is a civil servant believed to be involved in taking up the job of delivering ketum leaves since July and has made 10 deliveries with a fee of RM200 for each delivery,” he said through a statement on the PGA Southeast Brigade Facebook page.

Ahmad Radzi said, all arrests and seizures were handed over to the police for further action.

He said, all three cases are being investigated under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952.

“Intelligence and monitoring will continue to be intensified to combat the activities of processing, storing, selling and distributing ketum water and leaves, besides breaking the supply and distribution network of the substance around Kuantan,” he said.

Sinar Harian