JOHOR BARU: The police have arrested three people in a special operation involving the seizure of RM1.2mil worth of drugs.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the suspects were arrested in three separate raids in the Johor Baru and Iskandar Puteri areas between Wednesday (Jan 10) and Sunday (Jan 14).
"The syndicate's mastermind is believed to be a man in his 40s, while the other two suspects are his own mother, who is in her 50s and a friend.
"The main suspect also has a total of 46 cases in his criminal record related to crime and drugs. He is also a wanted person for six other cases," he said, adding that one of the suspects also tested positive for drugs.
Comm Kamarul Zaman Mamat said this in a press conference after handing appreciation certificates to some 83 people at the Johor police headquarters here on Wednesday (Jan 17).
He added that the drug-distributing syndicate is believed to have been active since October last year and said that it used an apartment in a gated and guarded area to store and pack drugs before distributing them for the local market.
"Following the raids, we have seized 16.47kg of ecstasy powders worth RM1.2mil, 7.77kg of cannabis worth RM24,000, 1.77g of syabu worth RM354 and 0.59g of Erimin 5 pills worth RM16.
"The total value of the drugs seized is RM1.2mil and could supply some 62,690 addicts," he said.
He added that the police also found five live bullets along with equipment believed to be used for the illegal activity, such as a weighing scale and strainer.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 and Section 8(a) of the Arms Act 1960.
He added that the suspects are between 40 and 61 years old and were remanded for seven days starting Thursday (Jan 11).
