KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 ― Police have not ruled out the possibility that a new designer drug which killed six party-goers at a music festival last week could have been brought in by foreigners.
Federal narcotics Crime Investigation Department director commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim revealed the drugs could have originated from the Golden Triangle — an infamous drug manufacturing hub that cuts across Vietnam to Cambodia.
He said based on studies done by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), a new drug is designed every fortnight.
“We suspect the new drugs were manufactured abroad and brought here for the concert by foreign revellers who then distributed them to others,” he said.
“The symptoms of the victims showed a similar effect to those who consume methamphetamine or Ecstasy.”
Initial blood tests revealed the six had taken a large amount of illegal substances, resulting in overdose.
Noor Rashid said they will be able to identify the origin of the drugs once the toxicology and chemist reports are revealed.
A police source had told The Malay Mail on Sunday a new drug had hit the streets following the deaths of six youngsters — aged between 19 and 28 — who attended Future Music Festival Asia 2014 at the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil.
The three-day music festival started on Thursday but upon police advice, the organisers cancelled its final day.
Another 14 attendees were also hospitalised but two have since been discharged.
The source also revealed police were investigating if the drug was tab — a piece of blotting paper laced with lysergic acid diethylamide (or better known as LSD) — and if the content of the drug could have been mixed wrongly.
Cheras police district chief Mohan Singh said a Singaporean and Taiwanese have been discharged from Kuala Lumpur Hospital and University Malaya Medical Centre, respectively.
“Another 12 are still being warded at the hospitals. Eight are from Singapore and one each from Myanmar, Iran, the Philippines and Malaysia,” he said in a statement yesterday.
“All of the victims are in stable condition.”
The statement also said 14 Malaysians and 15 foreigners were arrested for drug abuse during the festival. Of the 29, one was charged, one released, 10 released on bail while the other 17 were remanded for further investigation.
Among the performers at the festival before it was called off were Deadmau5, Paul van Dyk and Armin van Buuren.
