KLH DADAH-FREE AFTER ARREST OF SYNDICATE LEADER

The sprawling Kuala Lumpur Hospital compound is 'dadah-free' after a
syndicate leader was caught carrying suspected heroin in a plastic bag
on Friday.

Clients of the 35-year-old man, known as Saphi, included patients who
bought the dadah at the carpark or nearby staff quarters.

City police's Narcotics Division arrested the man, who had eluded
arrest for a year, at a parking lot near the Emergency Unit about 2.30am.

The team seized 90 packets of dadah, believed to be heroin, weighing
about 182 grammes from the suspect.

City police Narcotics Division chief Assistant Commissioner Othman
Harun said the case is classified under Section 39B of the Dangerous
Drug Act 1952.

"We believe that the dadah pipeline at the HKL has been crippled
following the arrest of the leader."

Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate's customers
included patients and outsiders. The transactions were made at the
parking lots and nearby staff quarters.

The syndicate, he said, was well-known as there were pushers and
addicts who came all the way from Pahang to get their dadah supplies
there.

Police believe the syndicate's territory included the HKL's compound,
Jalan Pekeliling and Jalan Chow Kit.

A packet of heroin, similar to the ones seized yesterday, was sold
between RM90 and RM180 to small-time pushers and addicts. It would be
repacked in 10 to 15 small tubes, and sold between RM10 and RM12 each.

The Malay Mail learnt that police had been monitoring dadah pushing
activities at the hospital for some time following complaints from its
administrators.

For the past two months, five dadah pushers had been arrested in and
around the hospital.

Those with information on dadah activities in their areas should
contact City police hotline at 03-2115-9999.