KOTA BHARU: A three-year-old boy from Kampung Sri Bintang, Kuala Krai, near here is in critical condition after drugs were found inside his body yesterday.

Kelantan acting police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun said a doctor lodge a report regarding the incident at 5 am yesterday after examinations were conducted on the boy who was brought to the Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital in Kuala Krai by his 36-year-old mother.

He said, following the incident, police detained a 30-year-old drug addict, who is the victim's uncle at 10 pm yesterday to assist in the investigation.

Muhamad Zaki said that the drugs inside the victim's body were suspected to be Methamphetamine based on a urine test.

"The child was then sent to Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital Kota Bharu for further treatment due to his critical condition," he told reporters after attending the monthly assembly at the Kelantan Police Contingent Headquarters, here today.

Elaborating, Muhamad Zaki said police believed that the victim was brought to a drug den while in the care of his uncle.

"Police are investigating whether the child was given drugs or left unattended that caused him to be exposed to drugs," he said, adding it was the first of such cases to occur in the state.

"Police are in the process of obtaining a remand order against the suspect and the case will be investigated under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act 2001," he said.

-- BERNAMA