KUALA LUMPUR: Federal police Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay has agreed to disagree with a former NCID deputy director’s comments that police should not reveal the value of drugs seized from their operations.
Datuk Wee Beng Gee, who retired from the police force in 2007, had in a letter to a news daily questioned the objective of drug enforcement agencies declaring the street value of narcotics seized in raids, claiming it “could tempt people to become involved in trafficking drugs”.
“To fight this war, there is no need for drugs to be given a monetary value,” he said in the letter.
In response to Wee’s views, Ayob Khan said: “Those are his views as a former deputy director of the NCID. I have my own views and I will agree to disagree with him,” he told theSun.
He explained that by revealing the value, it would show how blatant, daring and powerful drug syndicates have become and what they are capable of with the enormous funds they have.
“They are seeking bigger gains by the day. Also, by revealing this, it is a message to the public that despite making huge financial gains from drug dealing, they will have to pay with their lives when they are caught by authorities. Drug trafficking is becoming seriously worse by the day.
“It is time we take a different approach and think out of the box to put an end to it, or at least towards seeing a dramatic decline in drug trafficking,” said Ayob Khan, the former Special Branch militant-buster who in the past had apprehended dozens of terror cells.
He said the street value of drugs was no secret as technology had brought information to one’s fingertips and that any party can source it at anytime.
He added that even cannabis seeds were being sold online by unscrupulous parties, with many well aware that it is illegal.
“The bottom line is, if someone values his or her life and cares enough for their family and knows the destruction narcotics can cause to a nation, they will never get involved with drugs or any other crime, even in desperation.”
Since taking over the NCID in January, drug lords and syndicates are feeling the heat from Ayob Khan, who declared an all-out war against drug trafficking and drug addiction.
He and his men have since had several successes apprehending drug dealers and seizing many varieties of drugs worth tens of millions of ringgit in over two months.