KUALA TERENGGANU - Cases of drug abuse involving school children in Terengganu have reached an alarming stage with some 100 students detained in narcotic-related cases last year.

Last week alone, police detained seven secondary school students throughout the state for drug abuse.

State Narcotic Department chief Supt Roslan Abdul Wahid said the figure could be much higher as the students picked up were screened randomly during operations and not during raids.

"We believe there are probably more out there and we are planning to carry out more operations," he said here yesterday.

He said that based on intelligence report, these students first used psychotropic pills before getting addicted to other type of drugs.

Supt Roslan said during a raid in Besut recently a 15-year-old supplier was arrested.

He said the secondary school student was in possession of seven psychotropic pills worth about RM210 (S$87).

"The student said that he was supplying to other students in the area and that he himself was an addict," he said.

Supt Roslan said that on Feb 9, police detained two 15-year-old students who revealed that they needed RM30 each a day for drugs.

"Based on our investigation, these students could also be linked to other crimes as they needed cash to buy drugs," he said.