KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 28 — A total of 679 students were caught nationwide for drug abuse last year, according to Bukit Aman Narcotics Crimes Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh.

As for Terengganu, he said they numbered 38 students or eight per cent of the total.

"The number of arrests (for drug abuse among students) is increasing each year and this is worrying. If before they were exposed to drugs like ganja, heroin, morphine and the like, now they are dabbling in synthetic drugs like psychotropic pills, syabu and ice,” he told reporters after a school function at  Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Cendering here today.

He also said that New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) which were detected in Europe have also made their way to Malaysian shores.

He said NPS posed a new challenge because they are easily sold as drinks and sweets at prices as low as RM5 as compared to the synthetic type which could fetch RM30 to RM50 for a "fix”. — Bernama