PUTRAJAYA, May 16 -- Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail revealed that drug-related crimes are among the main contributors to other crimes, calling it a gateway to more severe criminal activities.

He said that, based on the latest data collected by the ministry's data science team, more than 28 other types of crimes in the country stem from individuals who abuse drugs.

Saifuddin added that an analysis of more than 400,000 data entries showed that individuals charged under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act tend to engage in various other offences such as extortion and corruption, making drugs a 'highway' to other crimes.

"If we consider crime in Malaysia as a network of highways, the Dangerous Drugs Act is the main...