More than RM20,000 worth of ganja found in car, two arrested in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Police here crippled a drug syndicate with the arrest of two men and the seizure of ganja worth more than RM20,000.

State police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the suspects, both aged 51 years old, were detained by the state Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department in a raid last Friday (Jan 7).

"The suspects were stopped by our officers in their car in the George Town area. During an inspection, police found 10 compressed blocks believed to be ganja weighing about 9.828kg worth RM24,570 in their vehicle," he said in a press conference at the state contingent police headquarters on Tuesday (Jan 11).

Comm Mohd Shuhaily said intelligence gathering by the police found that the syndicate had been operating since early last year and the drugs were meant for local distribution.

He said the drugs that were confiscated could feed the habit of 19,656 drug addicts.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily said urine tests conducted on both suspects came back positive and the suspects were remanded for six days from Jan 8 until 13.

He said the case will be investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 where offenders can face the death penalty or life imprisonment, with whipping of no less than 15 strokes, upon conviction.