KL SEEKS US HELP IN WAR ON ECSTASY

Malaysia Wants To Tap Us Expertise In Dealing With Synthetic Drugs
Which Are Growing In Popularity

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia is seeking the expertise of the US to combat
the menace posed by synthetic drugs like syabu and Ecstasy, Deputy
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Jamil Johari has said.

He said Malaysia had to seek help from the US Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA) because local authorities had expertise only in dealing with
"normal drugs" such as ganja and heroin.

Of late, there has been an increase in the consumption of synthetic
drugs including syabu and Ecstasy pills, areas in which the DEA has
the expertise.

The deputy police chief said the manufacturing process of these drugs
used "legal" chemicals which were also used by doctors to treat patients.

"We need expertise to detect the diversion of such chemicals which are
being imported legally and later used to manufacture synthetic drugs,"
Datuk Jamil told reporters after opening a three-week course for 45
officers from the police, Customs and pharmacy departments on Monday.

"Despite continuous operations mounted by local drug enforcement
agencies to combat drug abuse, the numbers keep on increasing," he
said.

He added that over the last two years, a total of 3,188 people had
been arrested for drug trafficking.

"Presently there are about 191,000 drug addicts in the country," he
said.

He added that during the same time, police had seized a total of 483
kg of heroin, 3,093 kg of ganja, 11.84 kg of syabu, 1.8 million
psychotropic pills and 54,111 Ecstasy pills.

The deputy police chief also said that doctors and pharmacists had
been found to be misusing their positions to smuggle and distribute
drugs.

He said that although the number involved was not too worrying, police
were still concerned and would do whatever possible to put a stop to
the activity.