KUCHING: A relentless ‘No Day Without Arrest’ strategy has fuelled a surge in drug-related arrests and seizures across Sarawak as police tighten their grip on narcotics networks statewide.
Sarawak Police Commissioner, Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah, said 5,151 arrests were recorded between January 1 and April 19 this year, up from 3,728 in the same period last year – a 38.2 per cent increase.
“The value of seized drugs and poisons also surged dramatically to RM31.9 million from RM3.1 million last year, marking an increase of RM28.8 million or 913.7 per cent.
“The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) continues to prioritise drug enforcement as a key strategy in curbing overall crime as drug abuse remains a major contributor to various criminal activities,” he said during the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters’ (IPK) Monthly Assembly today (April 23).
Preventive action under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 also intensified, with 10 individuals detained compared to six previously.
He added that police also stepped up efforts to cripple drug syndicates through asset forfeiture, seizing RM1.22 million worth of assets, slightly higher than RM1.18 million last year.
Meanwhile, action against hardcore drug offenders under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 rose to 90 individuals, compared to 83 in the corresponding period.
“These results demonstrate the effectiveness of continuous intelligence-led operations, strategic planning and sustained enforcement by NCID Sarawak, supported by strong public cooperation in channelling information on drug activities,” Zainal said.
The aggressive anti-drug push comes amid an overall drop in crime across the state.
Zainal said index crime fell by 262 cases, or about 21 per cent, between January 1 and March 31 this year compared to the same period in 2025.
“The decline reflects the effectiveness of continuous prevention and enforcement efforts carried out by the Sarawak police,” he added.
“Despite the overall improvement, certain categories of crime still show an upward trend and require closer attention.”
Violent crimes decreased by 24 cases (15 per cent) while property crimes dropped more sharply by 238 cases (22 per cent).
However, several serious offences recorded increases – murder cases rose by one case (14 per cent), rape cases increased by six cases (17 per cent), and gang robbery with weapons went up by one case.
A total of 2,117 individuals were arrested for various criminal offences during the period, with 516 testing positive for drugs.
