JOHOR BARU, Dec 9 — Johor police have arrested 294 individuals, including 13 suspected drug pushers, for various illicit narcotics-related offences in a special three-day statewide operation that ended at midnight today.

The operation, Op Tapis Khas, carried out by the state’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) under the Johor police contingent, started on Tuesday.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said police seized various types of illicit drugs such as heroin that weighed more than 1.4 kilogrammes, crystal methamphetamine or syabu (634 grammes) and cannabis (285 grammes) — estimated to be worth RM82,227.20.

"Police screened a total of 320 individuals throughout the operation and out of the figure, 281 of them were arrested for various drug offences.

"Those arrested included 31 for the illicit supply of drugs, 57 for possession and 193 who are drug addicts. The suspects arrested were aged between 18 and 70, and involved a total of 261 men and 20 women.

"Based on the amount of drugs that were seized, the drugs in the open market can feed 10,466 drug addicts,” Kamarul Zaman said in a statement issued this evening.

He said out of the total number of suspects arrested, 20 will be charged in accordance with Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952.

Under the particular provision, Section 39C of the DDA 1952 allows the courts to impose imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than seven years for a first-time offender, caned not more than three times and placed under a surveillance order for no less than two years and not more than three years.

The punishment increases for repeat offenders with prison time increased to no less than seven years and not more than 13 years, caning for no less than three times and not more than six times.

Kamarul Zaman said that police also arrested 37 suspects wanted by the authorities for various criminal activities and 13 drug pushers.

He added that the ‘Op Tapis Khas operation was implemented in all districts within Johor, with a focus on hot spots such as Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) areas, public housing projects, low-cost housing areas, fishing jetties and illegal jetties.

Overall, Kamarul Zaman said the Johor NCID has arrested a total of 13,686 individuals for various drug offenses and confiscated 3.55 tonnes of illicit drugs with an estimated value of RM14.04 million, since the beginning of last year.

He said suspected drug syndicate properties worth RM9.75 million were also seized in that period.

"Preventive action under the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures) 1985 against drug dealers has increased by 13.29 per cent during that period, of which 196 individuals were arrested from January 1 till this month, compared to 173 for the corresponding period last year.

"During the same period, a total of 909 people were also taken into custody under Section 39C of the DDA 1952 and the figure increased by 5.57 per cent compared to the same period last year.

"With that, the Johor police contingent recorded the highest number of arrests for drug-related offenses nationwide,” said Kamarul Zaman.