BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police smashed a syabu trafficking syndicate with international links following the arrest of a man and the seizure of syabu and heroin base worth some RM6.5 million.
This follows two raids — the first involving a car in Permatang Pauh here and another at a house in Nibong Tebal — between Monday and Wednesday.
The 31-year-old suspect, the main player in the syndicate who is attached to the private sector, was nabbed near the car in Permatang Pauh here. He was allegedly on his way to deliver the drugs.
Federal police Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Razarudin Husain said police seized 72 slabs of heroin base weighing 26.9kg, and 20kg of syabu inside the car, worth about RM3.06 million, during the first raid on Monday afternoon.
He said, in a follow-up operation on Wednesday morning, a police team raided a house in Nibong Tebal where they seized the remaining 95.6kg of syabu, worth RM3.45 million.
“We believe the drugs were brought into the country from Thailand, based on the Chinese gold tea leaf packaging used.
“The drugs were meant for the local market here. However, we believe the drugs may also be smuggled into a neighbouring country. Penang may be a transit point… we are still checking,” he told a press conference here today.
According to Razarudin, if the drugs found their way into the market, it could have been used by some 2.36 million users.
Razarudin said the syndicate has only been active for the past month.
“We are still tracking the rest of the syndicate members,” he added.
Besides the drugs, also seized were three cars, two motorcycles, watch and jewellery and RM600 in cash, all of which are valued at RM115,000.
The case is probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 and Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.
Razarudin said the suspect has no previous record and his urine came back negative.
He is currently under a seven-day remand.-NST