Johor: Johor police crippled two drug syndicates with the arrest of four individuals, including an 18-year-old Indonesian man, and seized over 25 kilogrammes of various drugs in two separate operations in Kulai and Kluang last week. Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad stated that the operations led to significant drug seizures and the capture of key syndicate members.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the first operation on September 11 involved the Kulai District Narcotics Crime Investigation Division, which raided two locations around Kampung Sepakat Baru, Senai, at 6 pm. They detained three individuals, two men and a woman, aged between 18 and 54, and seized 72 grams of syabu, 59 grams of heroin, 5 grams of Yaba pills, 57 grams of ganja, and 10 plastic packets suspected to contain caffeine. Additionally, a CZ pistol and 79 rounds of 9mm ammunition were confiscated.
In a subsequent raid at the same location, police detained an 18-year-old woman and seized three plastic packets suspected to contain syabu weighing about 75 grams, along with a packet of suspected heroin weighing 10 grams. This brought the total weight of drugs seized at this location to 0.278 kilograms, valued at RM11,401. Intelligence indicated that the two men were identified as drug pushers, while the woman acted as a financial manager handling the drug proceeds.
Ab Rahaman reported that the three suspects were syndicate accomplices with no family ties, operating since June. Both men tested positive for morphine in urine screening and had prior drug-related records, while the woman tested negative. All three suspects have been remanded for 10 days from September 12 to 21.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952, and Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971. Action was also taken under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, involving seizures valued at RM155,788, including a Mercedes-Benz C180, an Isuzu lorry, a Yamaha LC motorcycle, a Honda Wave motorcycle, RM51,000 in cash, and jewellery worth RM22,788. This brings the total value of seizures and forfeitures in the first case to RM197,189.
The second operation, conducted on September 13 by the Kluang District Narcotics Crime Investigation Division, led to the arrest of an 18-year-old Indonesian at a house in Jalan Jelutong, Taman Lin Seng, Kluang, at 3 pm. Officers found eight plastic packets of suspected syabu weighing 8.11 kilograms and 38 plastic packets of suspected heroin weighing 17.84 kilograms, with the total seizure weighing 25.95 kilograms and valued at approximately RM1.29 million.
Ab Rahaman noted that the suspect acted as a storekeeper for drug supplies, with the syndicate believed to have been operating since January. The suspect has no prior criminal record and tested negative in a urine screening. He has been remanded from September 14 to 20 and was found to have overstayed his visitor visa by two months after entering Malaysia legally via Port Klang in 2023.
Police are investigating the case under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. The seized drugs were intended for the local market and could have been consumed by about 130,906 drug addicts if distributed. Efforts to track down the masterminds behind both syndicates are ongoing, with investigations continuing to identify other syndicate members.