GEORGE TOWN: A 51-year-old man was arrested by police in an overnight operation for his alleged involvement in a drug trafficking syndicate.
Penang deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad said police also seized syabu worth RM571,500 during the operation, which was conducted from 7pm Monday (March 25) to 8am Tuesday (March 26).
"The operation was conducted at a housing park in Nibong Tebal, where police nabbed the suspect on the porch of his rented house," he said during a press conference at state police headquarters on Tuesday.
DCP Mohamed Usuf said police found drugs believed to be syabu weighing about 17.297kg in 17 packs, which was labelled “refined Chinese tea”.
He said an investigation found the suspect has been working with a drug syndicate active since October last year.
It is believed the house, rented for RM1,400 a month, was used as storage for the drugs.
He said the syabu were meant for local distribution, and the confiscated drugs could be used by 87,000 drug addicts.
"The suspect has several past records in drug and criminal offences and tested positive for methamphetamine," he said, adding police seized a car worth RM18,000 and RM1,200 in cash.
The suspect has been remanded for seven days from March 26 to April 1 to help in the investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, DCP Mohamed Usuf said police have crippled a drug syndicate at Tanjung Tokong, with the arrest of three suspects, including a 20-year-old woman, in an operation late Monday night.
The suspects, aged between 20-30, were arrested in an apartment, where police seized various types of drugs worth RM27,940.
"During the raid, police seized 84 black plastic packets which contain drugs believed to be MDMA weighing about 1.792kg; 4 transparent packets containing 20 ecstasy pills each, weighing about 13.75g and three transparent packets containing syabu weighing about 6.75g," he said.
He said the syndicate has been active since January this year, with the drugs believed to be meant for local distribution.
The suspects were remanded for seven days and will be investigated under Section 39 of the Dangerous Drugs Acts.
