Kuala Lumpur: Police busted three drug trafficking syndicates around the Klang Valley and Johor and seized various types of drugs worth over RM24 million in three separate operations on Oct 5 and Oct 7.
Bukit Aman narcotics crime investigation department director Khaw Kok Chin said the first operation on Saturday saw five raids here and in Muar, Johor, at 11.45am.
In the five raids, police arrested seven men and two Thai women, all aged between 34 and 48, including the suspected syndicate leader, and seized 111.96kg of methamphetamine, 19.49kg of ketamine, 60 Erimin 5 pills, 138g of heroin and four ecstasy pills, worth a total of RM5 million.
“This syndicate’s modus operandi was to use luxury condominiums and the vehicles of deceased owners and vehicles whose ownerships had not been transferred to store drugs.
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All the suspects have been remanded between three and seven days from Sunday (Oct 6), he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters here.
In the second operation on Monday, police raided premises at the Kepong Industrial Park and nabbed a 32-year-old man suspected of acting as a storekeeper and transporter for a syndicate.
Upon inspection of a vehicle and the premises, police found 350 packets with the words Red Apple, suspected to contain 358kg of methamphetamine worth an estimated RM11.4 million.
This syndicate has been active since early this year. Its modus operandi was to use the premises to store drugs before distributing them to the domestic market, especially in the Klang Valley, he said.
Meanwhile, police launched a third operation at 10.30pm on the same day, raiding a house in Bandar Menjalara, Kepong, and arresting three Thai nationals – a man and two women aged between 22 and 24.
“The value of the drugs seized here is estimated at RM8.18 million, enough for use by over 1.2 million addicts. The syndicate is believed to have been active since early this year.
Its modus operandi was to use the premises to store and repack the drugs before distributing them to international and domestic markets, Khaw said.
He said all suspects arrested in the second and third operations had been remanded for seven days until Oct 14 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking.
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