Johor bahru: Johor police have busted a drug trafficking syndicate following the discovery of an illegal laboratory and a vape cartridge processing centre containing drugs worth RM16.4 million in three separate raids around Iskandar Puteri and Johor Bahru on May 18.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Johor acting police chief DCP Hoo Chuan Huat revealed that during the 5.30 pm operation, four suspects, including two foreign nationals aged between 27 and 60, were arrested. The arrests followed intelligence from the Johor police Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department and the Iskandar Puteri district Narcotics Crime Investigation Division.
In the first raid at a shop house in Taman Melawati, officers uncovered an illegal laboratory. They seized 17 containers of liquid suspected to be methamphetamine (91.28 litres) valued at RM13.69 million, a large plastic bag of chemical precursors believed to be etomidate (6.15kg) worth RM922,800, along with various drug-processing equipment.
The second raid in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, which also served as the suspects' residence, exposed a centre used to process drug-laced vape cartridges. Police confiscated six plastic bottles and 32 cartridges containing liquid suspected to be methamphetamine (3.48 litres), worth RM522,000, as well as nine containers of etomidate (8.46kg), valued at RM1.269 million. Additionally, two machines and various equipment and chemicals used to process the liquid for the vape cartridges were seized.
A third raid was executed in Taman Mutiara Mas, leading to the arrest of a 60-year-old local man, believed to be the syndicate's mastermind and financier. Two foreign suspects acted as 'chemists' processing the substances, while the first suspect served as a runner for the syndicate, active since early January this year and targeting the local market. The drugs seized could have harmed up to 120,649 users.
Action was also taken under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, resulting in the seizure of three luxury cars and cash in ringgit and Singapore dollars, totalling RM182,187. The assets seized include a Honda Accord valued at RM30,500, a Mercedes worth RM46,000, and a Volkswagen Passat worth RM26,000, along with RM49,400 in cash and S$9,770 (RM30,287), bringing the total value of seizures and assets confiscated to RM16.58 million.
All suspects have been remanded for seven days until May 25 to assist investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952. Preliminary urine tests found two suspects positive for methamphetamine, while further checks revealed prior offences under the Common Gambling Houses Act 1953 for the other two.
Members of the public with information on drug-related activities are urged to contact the JSJN hotline at 012-2087222.