ISKANDAR PUTERI: Police have confiscated drugs worth more than RM12mil and busted a drug syndicate operating illegal drug laboratories and a factory during a raid here.
Johor Police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said the operation, conducted from March 6 to March 11, resulted in five raids across Iskandar Puteri and Seri Alam.
He added that police have also arrested five local men and two Taiwanese nationals aged between 25 and 40.
“A special operation was led by the Iskandar Puteri Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) in collaboration with the Johor Police Contingent NCID.
“The raid has uncovered three illegal drug laboratories and arrested seven suspects.
“Initial urine tests found all suspects negative for drugs, but checks revealed that three individuals had prior criminal records,” he said during a press conference at the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters on Tuesday (March 18).
Comm Kumar added that the syndicate had allegedly been active since July 2024, using rented homes in gated and guarded communities as drug processing labs.
“The operation led to the seizure of 42.5kg of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) powder worth RM7.1mil and 182.8kg of syabu worth RM5.8mil,” he said.
He added that authorities also confiscated drug processing equipment and chemicals valued at RM1.12mil.
The drugs seized were estimated to be sufficient for 1.05 million users and the seizure is the largest haul that the Johor police has recorded this year.
In addition to the drugs, Comm Kumar shared that police also confiscated assets linked to the syndicate, including three cars valued at RM319,000, a lorry worth RM49,800, various jewellery items worth RM15,822, and three bank accounts containing RM17,600.
“The total value of drugs, equipment, and assets seized stood at RM14.4mil,” he added.
All seven suspects have been remanded until March 20 for further investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking.
The case is also being investigated under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952 for manufacturing and distribution of psychotropic substances.
