11 civil servants fail dope test

Successful raid: Comm Kumar (middle) showing the confiscated drugs worth RM2.3mil during a press conference at the Johor police headquarters in Johor Baru.

JOHOR BARU: Eleven civil servants were among 30 partygoers arrested after testing positive for drugs during a raid at an entertainment centre.

Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar said the raid early yesterday found that the entertainment centre in Batu Pahat had operated beyond the allowed time.

“There were 49 people inside the premises who were busy partying. Urine tests revealed that 30 of them, consisting of 24 locals and six foreigners, tested positive for methamphetamine, ketamine and benzodiazepine.

“This includes 11 male civil servants aged between 24 and 49, and an underage 17-year-old boy,” he said.

Comm Kumar added that the suspects, consisting of 24 men and six women, were aged between 17 and 52.

“We also arrested a 29-year-old man who is believed to be the premises keeper,” he said, adding that an investigation was currently underway to find out where the suspects got their drugs from.

Police were waiting to obtain remand orders on the suspects, he said.

In an unrelated case, Comm Kumar said a 35-year-old man arrested for drug trafficking was found to have packed drugs into powdered juice and instant beverage packages.

His arrest by the roadside in Taman Pelangi here last Wednesday led police to uncover drugs worth RM2.3mil at a house nearby.

“The suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, and a background check revealed that the suspect has prior records involving drugs and crime.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect then led the team to a house in Taman Pelangi where he rented a room to repackage the drugs that he bought,” Comm Kumar told a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here yesterday.

He said the suspect’s modus operandi was to use the room to store and repackage the drugs before selling them at local entertainment centres and private parties.

“One of the main reasons why drug syndicates hide their products in such packaging is to avoid being detected and arrested.

“The suspect has been active since February this year and we believe there are other members of the syndicate who are still at large,” Comm Kumar said.

The confiscated drugs include 13.57kg of ecstasy, 707 ecstasy pills, 2,465 Erimin 5 pills, 727gm of ketamine and 12 bottles of juice containing drugs.

Also seized were two vehicles and RM650 in cash, he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act for drug trafficking.