PENDANG, Jan 21 — A lorry driver was arrested yesterday in Jalan Kampung Tong Prok, Padang Kerbau after police pulled him over and discovered he was transporting ketum (Mitragyna speciose) leaves.
Pendang district police chief, DSP Arriz Sham Hamezah, said: “After stopping the three tonne lorry which was being driven in a suspicious manner, police found 80 bags of ketum leaves weighing 1.5 tonnes worth RM22,000.
“The suspect confessed to being paid RM2,000 per trip to transport the leaves from Kuala Nerang, Kedah to Seremban, Negeri Sembilan,” he said in a press conference yesterday.
He said the man had lost his job as an express bus driver in June and used his i-Sinar savings from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to rent the lorry — which he also used to deliver goods like furniture and food – for RM2,500 per month.
Arriz added that the suspect who was arrested at 12.45am is married and has three children.
He said that he is being remanded for four days and investigation under Section 30 (3) of the Poisons Act 1952.
“His urine drug test was negative and he doesn’t have a prior criminal record. We’re still investigating to find the person who hired him,” said Arriz.
— Bernama
