The National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) has clarified that despite delays in processing detainees, its raid in Cheras yesterday was still within the standard operating procedure for allowing detainees to contact their next of kin.
The denial came after a social media user called off a search for her brother after learning he was detained by AADK during the raid and was unable to contact the family about his arrest until he cleared a urine test and was released the next day.
Syaida Ilmuna Ismail, who goes by the handle @syaidailmuna on X, claimed her brother was traumatised by his ordeal and appealed for suggestions for their next course of action, saying that she believed AADK had violated its SOP by not informing the family of his arrest.
However, AADK said while the process of documenting the detainees had taken some time due to the large number of people arrested, it was still within the 24-hour time frame set under the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983.
“AADK views the conduct of its officers seriously and will be more careful when carrying out their duties,” it said in a statement today.
The agency also laid out the chronology of the raid, which appeared to contradict Syaida’s account.
According to AADK, Op Pengesanan Perdana was carried out by the Cheras district AADK at 6pm yesterday based on information about drug abuse taking place at Jalan Jejaka 4, Taman Maluri, Kuala Lumpur.
Conflicting accounts
The chronology details two arrests made during the operation.
It said the first arrest was made in accordance with SOP, which requires officers to identify themselves and show their AADK authority card.
While the first arrest was being made, officers noticed another person in the area who allegedly behaved suspiciously and attempted to flee when they approached him to identify themselves.
“The move gave reasonable suspicion leading to the arrest of the individual.
“After both arrests were made, AADK officers again showed their authority card, and while checks on the MyAADK system were being made, one of the individuals shoved an AADK officer and made a second attempt to flee.
“The action led to his arrest and being brought to the Cheras AADK office for documentation and testing to determine whether they were drug addicts,” it said.
The individual was released after the documentation process and a preliminary urine screening test for one of the individuals came back negative.
Plainclothes officers didn’t identify themselves
AADK’s account is contrary to Syaida’s, who claimed the AADK officers did not identify themselves to her brother until they had already handcuffed him.
She said her brother was returning home from work when he was approached by two people in plainclothes riding a motorcycle, who allegedly did not identify themselves at the time and only demanded his identity card.
“They only (introduced) themselves when they have already handcuffed my brother. Too late to do anything at that time.
“My brother was frightened and panicked because he thought they were thieves or something when they suddenly approached him. That’s why he wanted to run,” she said.
Syaida said her brother’s hand was also injured during a scuffle with the AADK officers while he was being escorted into a van.
Once brought to the Cheras AADK lock-up, he was placed in a cell together with other suspected drug addicts and was not allowed to contact his family.
He was only able to contact his family when his phone was returned to him upon his release this morning, together with the release of four other detainees.
Syaida said she is sharing the details of the arrest not to apportion blame on anyone, but to demand justice for her brother. - Mkini
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