Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay (left) looking at the confiscated drugs during a press conference at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters, Johor Baru.— THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested four men and seized drugs and vehicles worth RM1.1mil during a series of raids in Muar and Johor Baru.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said that the suspects were local men aged from 30 to 41 who were syndicate transporters and storage keepers, delivering drugs to Indonesia.
"The raid was conducted between 6.30pm on Dec 26 and 6.30am on Dec 27 by Marine Police Region II and the Johor police Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID).
"Their modus operandi is to smuggle drugs and store it inside vehicles to avoid detection by authorities before sending it to neighbouring countries via boat to be sold in Indonesia," he said during a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here on Tuesday (Dec 29).
Comm Ayob added that the syndicate had only been active this month and also had a side business by selling ketum juice to the local market.
"We found the drugs stored inside the toolbox compartment of a tow truck in the first raid and found the rest of the drugs stored inside the spare tyre compartment of a SUV in the second raid.
"We have confiscated a total of 23.9kg syabu worth RM1mil, three litres of ketum juice worth RM60 and 480g of ketum leaves worth RM4.80," he said, adding that all confiscated items, including the vehicles, were worth RM1.1mil.
"The amount of drugs seized could be used to sustain about 239,250 drug addicts," he added.
He added that urine tests also revealed that all suspects were positive for methamphetamine and are currently under remand for seven days starting Dec 27 until Jan 1.
The case is being investigated under Section 15(1)(a) and Section 39B Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for self-administration of a dangerous drug and drug trafficking aside from Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952 for possessing psychotropic substances.
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