Johor Bahru: Police have dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate operating out of a grocery shop following the arrest of three men and the seizure of drugs worth RM346,225 in the Taman Universiti area here last week.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Johor Bahru Utara police chief ACP Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh stated that the men, aged between 22 and 29, were arrested by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division at about 7 pm on March 5. He mentioned that the syndicate was believed to have been using the premises to store and distribute various types of drugs.

ACP Balveer Singh revealed that the syndicate is suspected to have been operating on a small scale since January, with one of the suspects, a 29-year-old man, being the owner of the grocery shop. During the operation, a total of over one kilogramme (kg) of syabu, 1.84 kg of ecstasy, and one kg of cannabis were seized, along with eight vehicles and RM1,000 in cash.

He also noted that all three suspects tested negative for drugs, and two of them had previous criminal and drug-related records. Further investigations are underway to determine the source of the drugs and identify any other individuals involved.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. The three suspects have been remanded for seven days starting today, following the expiry of their initial five-day remand order yesterday.