Kuala Lumpur: Police crippled two drug distribution syndicates in two separate operations in this district on March 4, resulting in seizures worth almost RM7 million. Johor police chief Datuk M. Kumar said the Johor Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) arrested two men and a Vietnamese woman, aged between 25 and 29, in the first raid at about 7.20 am.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, two of the suspects were arrested in the parking lot of an apartment while the other was held at a hotel in the city. Various types of drugs were found in the apartment, namely 9.28 kilogrammes (kg) of ecstasy powder, 74 grammes (g) of ketamine, 90 erimin 5 pills, 26 ecstasy pills, and 18 millilitres of liquid ecstasy worth a total of RM1.56 million, as informed by Datuk M. Kumar at a media conference at the Johor Police Headquarters.
He added that police also seized two cars, RM15,450 in cash, and various types of jewellery worth RM25,040. Investigations revealed that the syndicate, which has been active since January, had mixed various types of drugs into instant drink packets to deceive the authorities before selling them for RM250 per packet. It was noted that two of the suspects tested positive for benzodiazepines, and only the woman had a drug-related criminal record.
Meanwhile, Kumar stated that the Johor Bahru Selatan Narcotics Crime Investigation Division, alongside the Johor NCID, arrested three men and a woman, aged between 17 and 42, in a second operation on an apartment at 4.30 pm. Police seized 32kg of ecstasy powder, 13.50g of syabu, and eight erimin 5 pills worth RM5.38 million, and confiscated a car, two motorcycles, and RM159 in cash.
Kumar mentioned that investigations found the syndicate had been active since February, employing a similar modus operandi of mixing a concoction of drugs into drink packets for the local market. From the urine test conducted, one of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamine, while two had prior criminal and drug records. All those arrested in the two operations have been remanded until Wednesday (March 12), and the cases are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.