Mission accomplished: Muhamad Zaki (centre) and his team showing the seized drug packets and ketum leaves during a press conference at the Kelantan police headquarters. — Bernama
KOTA BARU: A car that stopped just before a Road Transport Department (JPJ) roadblock along the Kampung Laloh road in Kuala Krai led to the arrest of four men, including a Form Four student, and the seizure of 25.5kg of ketamine worth over RM1.4mil.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun said the seizure was made after it received a report from JPJ officers who spotted a Perodua Myvi that hastily stopped 200m from the roadblock along the Kampung Laloh road.
“The driver and passenger fled. On inspecting the abandoned car, police found 26 clear plastic packets of suspected drugs in two white bags and a black plastic wheeled suitcase,” he was quoted by Bernama as telling reporters yesterday.
Muhamad Zaki said following the incident, police conducted four raids on Friday and Saturday and arrested four suspects, aged between 16 and 30, in Pasir Mas.
“All of them have been remanded for seven days until Jan 13 to assist in the investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“We believe this case has links to an international drug trafficking syndicate as the drugs originated from Thailand and were meant for the Kuala Lumpur market,” he said.
He said two lorry drivers were also nabbed at Kampung Batu 6, Batu Melintang, Jeli, on Saturday for smuggling two metric tonnes of ketum leaves worth RM20,000.
“The modus operandi was to smuggle the ketum leaves using a cement tanker lorry to hide their activities,” he added.
“Upon further inspection, police found 2,000kg of ketum leaves in the lorry, brought from northern states for the Kelantan market.”
Muhamad Zaki said the two suspects, both aged 28, also have criminal records related to drugs.
“Urine tests showed them to be positive for Benzo drugs,” he said, adding that the duo have been remanded for four days under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952.
