JOHOR BARU: Police have seized some RM1.668mil worth of drugs and arrested 22 suspects in a special week-long operation in several areas of Johor.
State police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the operation, between Oct 28 and Nov 3, was conducted around the Johor Baru, Iskandar Puteri, Seri Alam and Kota Tinggi areas and involved some 25 policemen.
"A total of 17 raids were conducted during the operation in which we arrested 19 men and three women between the ages of 19 and 39.
"They operate by using houses at gated and guarded areas to store and pack the drugs.
"The packed drugs would then be handed over to runners who distribute it around Johor Baru using motorcycles.
"We seized 7.02kg of syabu, 5.80kg of heroin, 489.3g of ketamine, 305.80g of ecstasy powder, 114.13g of erimin 5 pills, 13.2g of ecstasy pills and 0.65g of cannabis," he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 4).
He added that police also seized RM145,000, S$4,684 (RM15,707) and US$30 (RM142) in cash, eight cars, two luxury watches, 14 gold accessories and 23 mobile phones.
"The total value of the items seized, including the drugs, comes to RM2.759mil," he said, adding that the confiscated drugs could cater to 68,048 addicts.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
Comm Kamarul Zaman noted that Johor police have arrested a total of 12,397 people for drug offences and seized over RM13mil worth of drugs so far this year.
