COPS PRAISE MCA FOR TOUGH STAND ON ECSTASY

JOHOR BARU: Police have expressed their appreciation to the MCA for
bringing the Ecstasy pills problem to the forefront and will use all
laws, including forfeiting properties of entertainment outlets which do
not co-operate.

Bukit Aman anti-narcotics chief Datuk Sedek Mohd Ali said the problem
was eating into youths and was widespread in major towns and cities
throughout the country.

He said while police could act against those taking the pills,
nightclub and disco operators should help to prevent the sales of the
pills in their premises.

"We would like to tell the traffickers that they are killing our
youths. As long as there is a supply, the problem can never be solved.

"As for nightclub operators who do not want to work with us, we will
use the Act to seize their property.

"I thank the MCA for bringing the matter up in fighting the problem,''
he told reporters yesterday.

Earlier, Sedek represented the Inspector-General of Police at the
handing over of duties between out-going Johor police chief Datuk
Zulkipli Mat Noor and Deputy Commissioner Kamaruddin Mohd Ismail.

Sedek said in many cases youths were not aware of the consequences
when they took the pills which started of as a designer drug from
Holland in the 1980s.

He said the present day Ecstasy pills affected the nervous system and
led takers to do things such as climbing flagpoles.

He said although the problem "was not so serious'' it was widespread
and traffickers were sending their consignments through the post to
avoid detection.

"In Selangor we seized over 100kg of syabu which was sent by a local
trafficker through the post.

"Early this year we caught another local trafficker dealing in 10kg of
syabu in Sabah,'' he said.

Sedek said supply could come from anywhere and not specifically from
neighbouring countries.

He said there were still many laboratories making the pills even
though police managed to uncover many of them.

Sedek said Johor police had a firm control of the situation and had
uncovered seven such laboratories in the state so far.