Massive haul: Comm Khaw (second from right) showing the drugs seized at a press conference in Bukit Aman while other NCID officers look on. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: After about a month of intelligence gathering and surveillance, police raided a luxury condominium in the Klang Valley, seizing more than RM11mil worth of syabu and ketamine.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin said the raids were carried out at about 2.30pm on Sunday.
“We detained a 31-year-old man as he was getting out of a lift at the condominium.
“He then led the raiding team to a sports utility vehicle at the condominium’s parking lot.
“We seized 50 packets of Chinese tea packets filled with syabu as well as 32 packets of ketamine,” he told a press conference in Bukit Aman yesterday.
Further checks at a condominium unit rented by the suspect led to more seizures of drugs, he said.
“We seized more syabu and ketamine packed in Chinese tea packets at the unit,” he added.
In total, some 88.81kg of syabu and 171.75kg of ketamine worth RM11.43mil were seized in the raids, Comm Khaw said.
“The drugs could have been supplied to 1.02 million drug addicts,” he said.
He said the syndicate used the condominium unit as a drug storage.
“The suspect detained was the caretaker responsible for transporting the drugs.
“We believe he had just received a fresh batch of drugs, and he was in the midst of unloading them from the vehicle when the raid occurred,” said Comm Khaw.
The drugs were believed to have been supplied from the “Golden Triangle” through a neighbouring country, he added.
“The suspect receives a basic salary of RM10,000 per month.
“He also received a commission of at least RM2,000 for transporting drugs and storing them at the condominium,” he said, adding that investigations showed the syndicate has been active since December last year.
“The suspect also tested positive for ketamine.
“We are investigating further to uncover the other members of the syndicate, including its mastermind,” said Comm Khaw.
In another case, four men and a woman aged between 36 and 46 were detained while RM1.4mil worth of drugs were seized following raids in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on Feb 4, Comm Khaw said.
“We seized various drugs, including drug mixture juices, heroin base, syabu, MDMA powder, ecstasy pills and ganja.
“The syndicate leader has been identified as a 46-year-old man who was among those detained.
“The woman detained is the girlfriend of one of the suspects,” he said.
Comm Khaw said the syndicate would produce drug juices and supply them to entertainment outlets in the Klang Valley.
“They have been active since October last year.
“Three of those detained, including the mastermind, were hardcore drug offenders.
“The mastermind has a criminal record of 16 offences, while two other men have criminal records of 15 and eight offences, respectively.
“We will track down remnants of the syndicate,” he said.
The drugs seized could have been supplied to 72,752 drug users, he added.
Comm Khaw said both successful operations were proof that the NCID was always on their toes and carrying out raids to bust drug syndicates.
He said the NCID needs the cooperation of the public in combating the drug menace.
“We urge those with information on drug-related activities to contact the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222,” he said.
