Big haul: Comm Khaw (third from left) and Penang police chief Comm Datuk Hamzah Ahmad (second from right) showing the seized drugs and firearms at the state police headquarters. — KT GOH/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: A drug pipeline that could reach some 2.6 million addicts has been severed with the arrest of a 38-year-old drug syndicate mastermind and the seizure of six guns.
Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said a narcotics team, acting on a tip-off, flagged down a car in Sungai Ara at 5.30pm on Friday.
“The suspect then led police to a three-storey house nearby, which had been turned into a drug laboratory.
“Ingredients to process heroin, such as heroin base (376gm) and caffeine (93.8kg), and 13.8kg of processed heroin, were seized.
“In a follow-up operation, an apartment in Batu Uban was raided the next day.
“There, drugs such as syabu (46.19kg), heroin base (33.7kg), caffeine (24.14kg) and eight bottles of chemicals were recovered.
“The total value of the drugs seized was RM4.6mil,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Police also found six pistols, 100 rounds of ammunition, and bullet cartridges concealed in a cupboard in the apartment, which served as a store.
“We are now investigating if the firearms have been used in any recent cases.
“Investigations showed that the suspect was a drug chemist and storekeeper,” said Comm Khaw.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that the suspect is the leader of the drug syndicate, which has been active since January.
“The processed drugs were meant for the local and northern region markets and Klang Valley. We are now tracking down the remaining syndicate members,” he said.
Comm Khaw added that under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act, six cars, including a Toyota Alphard and a Volkswagen Arteon, as well as two motorcycles valued at RM420,000 were also seized.
The suspect, who tested negative for drugs, has been remanded for one week.
