GEORGE TOWN, April 13 — Penang police have increased the number of roadblocks in the state to almost double during the third phase of the movement control order (MCO), said Penang Police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abdul Manan.
He said in the first phase of the MCO, they had set up 21 roadblocks in the state but now, they have increased it to 40 roadblocks.
“We will increase the number of roadblocks from time to time to tighten monitoring on the roads and to ensure everyone complies with the MCO,” he told reporters at a press conference today.
Other than the roadblocks, which will be in operation for 24 hours daily at various locations in all five districts in the state, Sahabudin said the marine police will also tighten monitoring along the coast.
“The marine police team along with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Royal Malaysian Navy will conduct 24-hour patrols along the coast and our borders,” he said.
He said the tighter security measures including the roadblocks and snap checks by the police had led to 197 arrests related to drugs.
“Between March 18 and April 10, we seized various types of drugs worth a total rM423,010 involving 49 drug cases and made 197 arrests,” he said.
Out of the 149 cases, a total 22 were arrested at the roadblocks and 69 arrested during snap checks.
“If the drugs seized were to make it to the market, it would have been supplied to over 56,000 drug users in the state,” he said.
He said the police will continue to increase the number of snap checks and patrols around the state to prevent crimes including those related to drug trafficking.
