Police acquire high-performance cars for Sting operation

Police acquire high-performance cars for Sting 

operation

KUALA LUMPUR : The police's Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (Sting), tasked with going after drug kingpins, have acquired high-performance cars to enable them to outrun traffickers.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the cars were bought at the cost of RM5 million while another RM4 million was spent to buy uniforms and narcotic-enforcement equipment. 

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (3rd from L) during the launch of the STING team, here today. January 30, 2014. BERNAMA - 

He said drug lords managed to give the police the slip as they drove fastcars like Mercedes Benz while being chased by Proton Waja. 

"Apart from acquiring BMW cars, other vehicles were bought for sting operations against drug syndicates," he told reporters after the launch of Sting by Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at Pulapol here today. 

Noor Rashid said Sting was mooted by Ahmad Zahid who wanted Malaysia to be drug-free by 2015 as endorsed by Asean member countries.

Sting will create 200 posts, but to date 60 of the best anti-narcotics policemen, including 10 women have been enlisted, he said, adding that Sting would complement the 4,500 strong Anti-Narcotics Agency.  

He said Sting had also sought RM1 million to procure intelligence communication equipment for its operations.

"Sting focuses on detecting foreign drug syndicates operating in the country, drug distributions by international syndicates, drug syndicate activities involving secret societies and drug laboratories, apart from curbing smuggling of drugs through airports, overland and sea routes," he said.  

He said Sting personnel would be undergo training locally and abroad,including in Taiwan, Hongkong, France, Thailand and the United States.  

Noor Rashid said the police arrested 33 drug lords made up of locals, Nigerians, Hong Kong nationals and Taiwanese, and seized drugs worth RM411 million last year.  

The said the drug syndicate bosses were among 175,198 people detained forvarious drug offences. 

Assets such as land, houses, cash in bank accounts and cars worth RM94.96 million were seized from the syndicates, he added.  -- BERNAMA