SEREMBAN: Police detained seven inmates at a government-run drug rehabilitation centre in Jelebu near here for distributing drugs at the facility.

State police chief DCP Datuk Jaafar Mohd Yusof said the seven, aged between 28 and 42 years, were sent for rehabilitation at the centre early last year.

“Preliminary investigations show that they have been actively distributing dangerous drugs at the centre since they were sent there.

“They have been getting their supply from another suspect from outside the centre,” he said.

The suspects have previous criminal records including drug possession and trafficking.

DCP Jaafar said police have so far detained 36 drug traffickers this year as against 26 during the same period of 2015.

“This is an increase of almost 40%,” he said.

He said the state authorities arrested 3,006 drug addicts so far this year. Of these, 1,897 were repeat offenders.

“This clearly shows that the drug rehabilitation programmes being carried out here have been ineffective in curbing the menace,” he said.

DCP Jaafar said police also seized properties worth almost RM4mil from traffickers in the first six months of this year.-nst