GEORGE TOWN: Police have busted a drug trafficking syndicate after arresting six individuals here, including a family of five.
Penang deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad during the operation between March 21 to 22, police seized 139.5kg of drugs believed to be cannabis worth RM432,614.
"The operation began at about 8am on March 21 and was conducted by state police headquarters Narcotic Criminal Investigation Department at Bayan Lepas area," he said during a press conference at state police headquarters on Friday (March 22).
DCP Mohamed Usuf said in the first raid, a mother and her three children aged 15-29 years old were arrested at a house in Bayan Lepas on Thursday (March 21).
He said the arrest was made after the woman's husband, aged 49, was detained at his friend's house.
He said following the arrests, police successfully seized 138 compressed marijuana packets weighing 139.5kg worth RM432,614.
He said upon examination inside the rented village house of the family, five sacks containing 133 compressed marijuana packets, one plastic bag containing five compressed marijuana packets, and one box containing 83 small transparent packets of dried leaves suspected to be marijuana weighing 0.6kg were found.
DCP Mohamed Usuf said that investigations revealed the drug distribution syndicate had been active since June last year.
"We also seized three vehicles, a car and two motorcycles, with a total value of RM11,500.
"All of these drugs were intended for the local market, and the seized drugs could potentially supply 280,000 drug users if they had reached the market," he said.
He said the results of urine screening found one of the suspects positive for marijuana and had a past record involving crimes.
"Five of the suspects are remanded for seven days starting today (Friday, March 22) until March 28, while another suspect is remanded for six days until March 27.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which is punishable by death.
