Malaysian police seize over RM31 million in methamphetamine and fentanyl in two major busts, arresting seven suspects linked to separate trafficking syndicates.
KUALA LUMPUR: Police conducted two raids under Ops Hemiptera in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur on April 9 and seized various types of drugs worth an estimated RM31.57 million.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said that they also arrested two men, aged 31 and 33, who are believed to be the drug courier and storekeeper for the syndicate, which has been active since early this year.
He said the raid in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, Selangor, led to the arrest of the first suspect and the discovery of 212 kilogrammes (kg) of Methamphetamine kept in an Audi car, while in the second raid on a terrace house in Cheras, police seized 404kg of Methamphetamine, 6.4kg of Erimin 5 pills and two packets of vape cartridges containing 0.8 litres of liquid suspected to be Fentanyl, and arrested another suspect.
“The drug, Fentanyl, is believed to be targeted for the local market, especially at entertainment centres, and not sold openly at normal vape shops.
“Investigations found that the drug, also known as the ‘zombie drug’, is not processed in this country. Instead, Malaysia is believed to be used solely as a place for repackaging into vape cartridges,” he told a press conference here today.
Hussein said the two suspects have been remanded for 11 to 13 days from April 10 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Elaborating, he said the syndicate is believed to have smuggled the supplies from Thailand via the land route through Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, or by sea.
“The syndicate operates by way of the supplier leaving the vehicle containing the drugs and the set of keys at a stipulated location, with the customer picking them up for storage, before the vehicle is returned to the original location upon completion of the transaction,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, Hussein said police crippled a drug trafficking syndicate that hid RM3.05 million worth of Methamphetamine in food cans to be delivered to Sabah.
The discovery, conducted through three raids under Ops Icerya, in collaboration with the Sabah Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), led to the detention of five individuals, a Malaysian man, three foreign men and a foreign woman, all aged between 22 and 45, in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“This syndicate is believed to have been active since early this year, and all the suspects tested negative for drugs,” he said, adding that the suspects have been remanded for seven days to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
