ISKANDAR PUTERI: A drug syndicate that turned luxury gated homes into covert drug labs has been dismantled, with police seizing over RM12mil worth of illicit substances in an operation across the state.
The crackdown led to the arrest of seven people – including two Taiwanese nationals – believed to be behind the large-scale manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine and MDMA.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said that the crackdown, which took place from March 6 to 11, involved five raids in the areas of Iskandar Puteri and Seri Alam.
The bust, the largest drug haul in Johor this year, not only uncovered hidden drug labs but also exposed a sophisticated operation using high-value assets and industrial equipment to flood the market with dangerous narcotics, he said.
“A targeted operation was spearheaded by the Iskandar Puteri Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID), together with the Johor Police Contingent NCID.
“The raids uncovered three drug laboratories and resulted in the arrest of seven suspects.
“Preliminary urine tests indicated that all suspects were free from drug use, but further investigations revealed that three of them are known criminals,” he said at a press conference at the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters on Tuesday.
Comm Kumar added that the syndicate had reportedly been operational since July 2024.
A total of 42.5kg of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine powder, valued at RM7.1mil, and 182.8kg of syabu worth RM5.8mil have been seized.
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 have 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, 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. Comm Kumar said that investigations suggest that foreign nationals may be involved in the case.
“Among those arrested were three individuals believed to be ‘chemists’. These are not university-trained professionals but rather self-taught individuals skilled in drug processing,” he said.
Investigations are ongoing, and police believe other members of the syndicate remain at large.
Efforts are underway to locate and apprehend them.
The drug-processing equipment is believed to have been purchased from China, while the chemicals were sourced locally.
“The three drug labs were all housed in gated and guarded terrace houses, and the factory was located in an industrial area in Iskandar Puteri.
“All of these premises were rented by the syndicate,” he said.
He added that police are also reviewing the immigration status of the foreign nationals involved.
