Thirteen commercial lorry drivers have been arrested by the police on suspicion of drug use while on duty. The arrests came as a result of random checks conducted across various locations in Johor from midnight to 8am on September 21. In total, 730 vehicles were inspected during this period.
According to Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat, amongst the 15 lorry drivers arrested, 13 of them failed their urine drug test while the remaining two were wanted by the police for criminal and traffic offences. Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat commented, “This indicates that there are still numerous commercial lorry drivers, often referred to as ‘land pilots’, who are blatantly disregarding the law. This issue has been repeatedly highlighted by many as it poses a risk to public safety.”
The individuals arrested, ranging in age from 22 to 48 years old, have been detained under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. In addition, a total of 210 traffic summonses were issued to motorists for various traffic violations, including overloading, during the operations. Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat stated, “Safety is a serious matter and we will not apply double standards or selective enforcement. We will not hesitate to take action against anyone who violates the law.”
Credit: The Star : News Feed
