Firefighter among two men held for possessing ketum leaves

JELI: A firefighter was among two men arrested after they were found to be in possession of 850 kilogrammes (kg) of ketum leaves in Kampung Rabbana, here, last Thursday.

Jeli District Police Chief Supt Ahmad Ariffin said the 30-year-old firefighter was arrested along with his friend while taking a Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) van through a roadblock from Grik to Jeli at 10.34 am on that day.

"Police then followed the van which driven in a suspicious manner and ordered the suspects to stop the vehicle for an inspection.

"Eighty-five black bags containing ketum leaves, each weighing 10 (kg) with an estimated worth of RM8,500 were found in the van," he told a press conference at the Jeli District Police Headquarters, today.

Ahmad said the two suspects were placed under remanded from Oct 27 to Nov 1 for further investigation in accordance with Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952, Section 168 and Section 171 of the Penal Code and Section 108(f) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

"However, both suspects tested negative for drugs and are believed to have committed the act several times using the same modus operandi since early October with wages of RM3,000 per trip," he said.

-- BERNAMA