GEORGE TOWN: Police have dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate with the arrest of three local men and seized various drugs and ketum juice worth over RM50,000 in three raids conducted around Bayan Lepas.
Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said that the operation, carried out by its Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) between 2pm on Monday (March 10)
and 1am on Tuesday (March 11), led to the arrest of the suspects aged 26 to 29.
They are believed to be involved in trafficking drugs, including ganja, syabu, Eramin 5, mushroom cigarettes and ketum juice.
He said that during the raid, police seized five compressed packets containing dried plant matter believed to be ganja, weighing 5,002g with a street value of RM15,500.
"The operation also uncovered 19 plastic packets containing crystal-like substances suspected to be syabu, weighing 777g and valued at RM25,641.
Additionally, seven cigarette sticks, each containing a mixture of tobacco and dried leaves believed to be a mushroom-based drug were seized, weighing 7.45g and worth RM175.
"Furthermore, officers seized 10 packets wrapped in red and silver aluminium foil containing 2,000 Eramin 5 pills, weighing 560g and valued at RM16,000. Two plastic packages containing liquid, suspected to be ketum juice, worth RM10, were also seized. The total value of the seized items stands at RM57,326," he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Hamzah said that apart from the drugs, police also seized two motorcycles valued at RM7,200 and cash amounting to RM1,340.
Intelligence revealed that the syndicate had been actively involved in drug trafficking since early 2025.
One of the suspects tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine, while checks also found that one suspect had a prior drug record.
He added that all suspects have been remanded for seven days until March 17 under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act. – Bernama
