ALOR SETAR: Police detained a man and seized 350 kilogrammes (kg) of ketum leaves after his car skidded and crashed into a tree in Kampung Kubang Tiga, Chuping, Perlis, early this morning.

Kubang Pasu district police chief, Supt Rodzi Abu Hassan said, earlier, a police team from the Kubang Pasu district police headquarters detected a car being driven in a suspicious manner at the KM25 of Jalan Alor Setar-Bukit Kayu Hitam at 1.15 am.

"The team from the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division ordered the car, a Proton Wira Aeroback, to stop but the driver stepped on the accelerator and sped off.

"The police then gave chase before the driver lost control of the car which skidded and crashed into a tree in Kampung Kubang Tiga, Chuping, Perlis," he said in a statement here today.

He said the policemen detained the man and an inspection on the vehicle found 35 black plastic packets containing ketum leaves weighing about 350 kg.

He said the suspect who tested positive for methamphetamine, was taken to the Padang Besar district police headquarters.

The case was being investigated under Section 30 (3) of the Poisons Act 1952, he said.

-- BERNAMA