Busted: Comm Kumar holding up packets of powdered drinks containing drugs during a press conference at the Johor police headquarters.
JOHOR BARU: For the past four months, an ex-convict has been leading a group of youths to repack drugs into powdered drink packets and blister packs before selling them in the local market.
The 29-year-old mastermind has been running the ring since September last year, after renting a condominium unit in Seri Alam in July for the illegal activities.
However, the syndicate’s activities were busted following a police raid on Jan 5, said Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar.
Police also raided a house in a gated and guarded community three days later.
“The syndicate had repackaged ecstasy and ketamine powder into drink sachets with a variety of fruit flavours, which were then sold at RM150 to RM200 per sachet.
“They have equipment to turn the drug powder into pill form. Each blister pack consisting of 10 pills is worth a market price of around RM200,” he told a press conference yesterday.
From the raids, three men, including the mastermind, and two women were arrested. They are aged 24 to 29.
“We also seized drugs weighing 96.8kg worth RM13.5mil, consisting 73.5kg of Ecstasy powder, 20.3kg ketamine, 2.9kg or 9,750 pieces of eramin pills and 8g or 26 pieces of ecstasy pills.
“The drugs were brought in from out of Johor to be repackaged for the local market,” he said.
Police also seized three cars, a motorcycle, a watch, jewellery, RM550 cash and a company bank account with RM87,741.80.
“Checks showed that the mastermind was sent to prison for drug distribution in 2021 and was released in July 2022,” said Comm Kumar.
All five were remanded until tomorrow.
He said police were in the process of identifying other syndicate members and also on the hunt for one Chang Siew Yin, 38, from Melaka, to aid with investigations.
