JOHOR BARU, Nov 12 — A total of 41 individuals, including five foreigners, were arrested in two separate operations at entertainment centres in the city, early this morning.

Johor Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said a special operation, Op Hibur Bersepadu, which was carried out at about 1am, also involved the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) and the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ).

He said the preliminary urine screening found that a total of eight men and two women, three of whom were foreigners, were positive for benzodiazepines, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and methamphetamine.

"Also arrested were 24 individuals, including two foreigners, investigated under Section 19 (1) of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997.

"All those arrested are between 17 and 45 years old and were handed over to JAINJ for further action,” he said in a statement today.

In another operation conducted at 12.30am, Kamarul Zaman said police arrested four men and three women as their urine tests were positive for THC, amphetamine, ketamine and methamphetamine.

"They are aged between 20 and 68 years old, and inspection found that the premises did not have a valid business and entertainment licence,” he said, adding police also seized entertainment items, sales receipts and RM1,955 of cash.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 6 (2) of the Johor Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment (ENJ) 4/98 and Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

All those arrested were remanded for three days starting today and handed over to Johor Bahru Selatan NCID for further action, he added. — Bernama