KUALA LUMPUR: Police crippled an international drug syndicate, arresting 17 of its members and seizing RM51mil worth of drugs in what has been described as the second biggest haul by police in the past five years.
A 32-year-old mastermind was among the syndicate members arrested in a series of raids in the Klang Valley and Penang.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the syndicate was crippled following close collaboration between Bukit Aman’s Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (STING) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of the Ministry of Public Security of China as well as Narcotics Bureau of Hong Kong Police.
Comm Mohd Mokhtar said the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department together with STING held 11 separate raids at different locations in the Klang Valley in areas including Kepong, Cheras and Petaling Jaya as well as Perai in Penang from 4.40pm on May 12 until 10.30pm the following day.
From the raids conducted, Comm Mohd Mokhtar said police arrested the kingpin and 16 others, aged between 24 and 57.
The arrests took place at several locations including a store and a house that were used to pack and store the drugs.
He added that the drugs were believed to have been brought in from China and meant for the local market.
“Police seized 18 vehicles worth an estimated RM2.1mil and RM129,000 cash as well as jewellery and luxury watches worth RM40,000,” he told a press conference at the Bukit Aman police headquarters here yesterday.
He added that some of the vehicles seized by police were also modified by the syndicate so that drugs could be hidden in them.
Comm Mohd Mokhtar said police also seized two vacuum packers that were believed to be used to pack the drugs.
He said 15 of the suspects were remanded until May 19 under Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act while two Bangladesh nationals arrested with the gang members tested positive for drugs, were being held under the Immigration Act.
