KUALA LUMPUR: Twelve policemen, including two senior officials, who tested positive for drugs during a raid at a nightclub in Aman Square, Sungai Petani, Kedah were detained.
Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh said among those arrested in the raid conducted by Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) were two Inspectors attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Kuala Muda and Pendang district headquarters, respectively.
"Another three policemen are attached to the Narcotic Crime Investigation Department in Kuala Muda, six attached to CID in Yan and one attached to CID in Pendang.
"The 12 policemen were among 31 individuals who allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine, ketamine and amphetamines. Three other policemen who were also patrons of the entertainment outlet tested negative for drugs in the raid," he said.
The night club, which had been raided a few times previously, had just reopened for business on Oct 1, before it was raided again at 3.15am the next day. It is learnt that the entertainment outlet had been raided three times this year alone, in March, May and June.
"Checks showed the premise did not have any valid operating licence despite being raided three times in the past."
He said the 12 detained have been remanded to facilitate police investigations under Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952.
"They also face immediate suspension from duties, pending the completion of a thorough investigation," said Fisol.
Meanwhile, in a related development, three of the entertainment outlet workers and 12 other individuals who failed to produce their identification card during the raid were also detained for investigation under Regulation 25(1)(e) of the National Registration Regulations (PPN) 1990 and Section 6 (2) of the Entertainment and Entertainment Outlet Enactment (EHDTTH) 1997.
Federal Police Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) director Datuk Seri Azri Ahmad when contacted earlier for confirmation on the arrests replied in the positive but declined to elaborate on the details.
"I can only confirm the raid and the arrests. Investigations are under the district police," he said.
The arrest of these 12 arrests comes after the New Straits Times front-page news about policemen dabbling in drug abuse.