THERE is a different kind of market which starts business early in the morning in Ujung Batu, Butterworth, which unlike the normal wet market, is causing major concerns for locals.

For this market is a place where drugs are being bought and sold openly. Even more worrying is that both the traders and buyers are mostly teenagers. Among the drugs sold openly here are syabu (known as “batu”), ganja and heroin.

For Ujung Batu folk and those living nearby, such as Kg Perlis, Bagan Dalam, Chain Ferry and Taman Mewah, the illegal drug market is an open secret. They also know that it is managed by local gangs.

They told The Malaysian Insight that the drug sale starts about 6am and that those behind the drug trade have the support and protection of the authorities.

Police operations will usually see the small fry arrested, including users, but not the big dealers, said locals.

The Malaysian Insight recently observed the morning drug trade secretly for four days and managed to capture these activities on camera.

“Teenagers and men will come on motorcycles and stop by their potential buyers to carry out the transactions. This is all done openly.

“They are never afraid to do so as they are all protected by the police,” a resident said.

The transactions are also conducted in an empty house behind a primary school in the area, said another resident.

“We are very worried for the safety of our children as they also see what is happening quite openly.

“They are able to see the drug users and sellers on their way to school. We don’t want to become influenced. And more worrying, we don’t want someone who is high on drugs to start attacking our children.”

He said out-of-town addicts, too, are turning up in the area to buy their fix.

“People around Butterworth are aware of this place as a spot to get their supplies. How is it that the police are not aware? Also, why only the addicts get picked up and not the suppliers?

“This must be stopped immediately,” he said, adding that he had seen policemen accepting bribes from suppliers. – August 7, 2019.