Pubdate: Mon, 26 May 2003 Source: Star, The (Malaysia) Copyright: 2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. Contact: http://www.thestar.com.my Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/922 Author: Supplying 47 SUSPECTED DRUG ADDICTS ROUNDED UP IN OPERATION KUALA LUMPUR: Police rounded up 47 suspected drug addicts, including two women, in efforts to clean up the city for the coming Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting scheduled for October. City police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Dell Akbar Khan, who headed the operation, said drug addicts could still be found on the streets despite numerous operations. "We will step up our operation to nab all the drug addicts in the city until the OIC is over. After that, the operation will continue as part of our annual routine project," he said. About 76 personnel from the police, City Hall, Welfare Department, National Registration Department and the National Narcotics Agency were involved in the three-hour raid on Saturday night. The 47 suspected addicts were detained near Chow Kit market, Lorong Haji Taib and the Syed Putra area. Some of the addicts underneath a bridge jumped into the Klang River when the team came for them at midnight. However, a City Hall speedboat went into action and fished them out of the water. The suspects were taken to the Jalan Hang Tuah police lock-up (former Pudu Prison) for medical tests. In Petaling Jaya, Pemadam vice-president Lee Lam Thye urged local plantation companies such as Guthrie, Golden Hope, IOI, Felda and Sime Darby to support the National Drug Agency's plans to complement the labour force by supplying 1,500 former addicts a year. "By taking in former addicts, employers will not only be solving their problem of manpower shortage but will also give an opportunity to former addicts to be employed and lead a normal life," he said in a statement. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh