GEORGE TOWN: Police have smashed a drug trafficking syndicate with the seizure of drugs worth almost RM1 million in raids in Seberang Perai Tengah.
Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said police also arrested five local men and one foreign woman, aged between 22 and 55, in the operations at 4 am on April 25 and 3 am on April 27.
He said the confiscated drugs comprised 17 packets of syabu weighing 16,707.6 grammes and worth RM601,473.50, 41 gm of ganja in two packets worth RM102.50 and 149 packets of ganja weighing 151,114 gm and valued at RM377,785.
“The drugs seized are worth a total of RM979,361. Three vehicles worth a total of RM45,000 were also confiscated,” he told reporters here yesterday.
He said the operations were focused on a three-storey ‘bundle’ (used clothing) shop in Bukit Mertajam which was used as a store for the drugs.
Initial investigations showed that the syndicate was renting the shop for RM1,500 a month and using it as a front to evade police detection, he added.
Police believe the syndicate has been operating since January and was supplying drugs to the local market.
“Investigations are continuing to determine the actual number of syndicate members,” he said.
He said three of the suspects tested positive for drugs and five had criminal records, including for drug offences.
They have been remanded for seven days beginning April 25. — Bernama