Stripping black cocaine king's assets only first step, says Penang top cop

GEORGE TOWN: Fresh from their RM366mil haul of assets from a drug lord behind the smuggling of billions of ringgit worth of black cocaine, police will work to connect the dots from the seized riches to the illicit drug trade.

Penang police chief Comm Datuk T. Narenasagaran (pic) said that whenever there is a big drug-related seizure, police will investigate further to trace the origin of the money that was used to acquire the lavish assets.

"This is a normal process.

"What we have done now is we have used the forfeiture of property to confiscate all these properties.

“This will later be brought to court.

“We will have to decide or evidence has to be adduced to show that all these assets did come from the proceeds of illicit drug trade," he said to a press conference at state police headquarters in Penang Road on Wednesday (Jan 29).

Comm Narenasagaran was responding to the success of "Operation Eagle Diamond", which saw Bukit Aman seize RM366mil worth of assets from a drug kingpin who continues to elude capture following the RM2.4bil black cocaine bust on Sept 10 last year at the North Butterworth Container Terminal.

The Jan 16 operation saw assets and cash seized in one fell swoop at various locations in the country.

“He is believed to be hiding overseas so the police will carry on doing their job.

“The case is still under investigation.

“If we do make an arrest, we will notify you, ” said Comm Narenasegaran.