DRUG RING SMASHED

Police seize RM26m worth of narcotics with help from Penang, Thailand agencies

POLICE smashed a drug smuggling and distribution syndicate and seized their largest haul of the year, taking more than 500kg of drugs worth RM26.1 million in an operation on Tuesday.

The operation was conducted by a team from Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department with assistance from its Penang counterparts, Narcotics Nucleus Secretariat, Narcotics Suppression Bureau of Thailand, and the Thai Office of the Narcotics Control Board.

Federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department deputy director Datuk Kang Chez Chiang said the 6.15pm raid led police to 506kg of syabu and 26,000 Ecstasy pills at six locations in Penang.

Four men, aged between 35 and 59, who had criminal records for drugs and other offences, were arrested. They were believed to be syndicate members.

“We found 473 packets of Chinese tea packed with 506kg of syabu. Thirteen other packets contained 26,000 Ecstasy pills, believed to have been smuggled in from Golden Triangle countries using the Thailand-Malaysia route.

“The discovery has led us to believe that Penang was used as a transit point for drug smuggling and distribution activities before the drugs are sold to the local market and exported internationally.

“We believe that the syndicate exported the drugs to Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. They may have also exported drugs to Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and South Korea.

“The drugs were believed to have been sent via post, local and international courier services or cargo, via air, land and sea,” he said at the Penang police headquarters yesterday.

Kang said three of the four suspects were arrested in a car in Bayan Baru. Police found 159 packets of drugs on them.

Two tested positive for drugs. He said police also seized a Volkswagen, a Proton Wira, a Proton Waja, jewellery and a watch, all valued at RM147,000.

“The fourth suspect was detained in another car in Jalan Lengkok Perak. We raided two locations used to keep the drugs following the arrest of the four.

“We found 18 packets of syabu and 13 packets of Ecstasy at a terrace house in Island Glades, Gelugor, while 296 packets of syabu were found at another house in the same area.

“The suspects have been remanded for six days until Monday to help investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.”