Bukit mertajam: Police have crippled a drug distribution syndicate involving Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) powder worth RM1 million following the arrest of two men in separate raids in Bukit Mertajam yesterday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Penang Deputy Police Chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin stated that a team from the state Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) conducted the raids between 2 pm and midnight following intelligence gathering. The first raid led to the arrest of a man in a parking lot, where a search of a vehicle uncovered a brown box containing several packets of powder believed to be MDMA.

The box contained 271 packets of various brands and colours containing MDMA powder, weighing an estimated 6,155 grammes. Following this arrest, police subsequently detained the suspect's accomplice in a nearby area.

Mohd Alwi explained that intelligence indicated the syndicate had been active since last October. The total amount of drugs seized could have been used by 50,000 people. Urine tests revealed that both suspects tested positive for ketamine, and checks showed that both men had previous criminal and drug-related records.

The suspects, aged 33 and 41, have been remanded for seven days starting today until Jan 27 to assist in investigations.