ISKANDAR PUTERI: One of the largest drug trafficking syndicates in Johor has been busted with the arrest of a man and his girlfriend as well as the seizure of RM14.3mil worth of drugs.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) acting director Deputy Comm Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali said the operation was jointly carried out by the Johor NCID and Bukit Aman NCID on March 27.
He said the 28-year-old Malaysian and his girlfriend were arrested at a parking area of an apartment in Iskandar Puteri at about 5.30pm, where police intercepted a car.
“A search of the vehicle uncovered about 2kg of syabu, 3.3kg of heroin and 1.5kg of heroin base kept in plastic packages,” DCP Mat Zani said during a press conference at the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters here yesterday.
A follow-up raid at a flat in Iskandar Puteri at around 6pm found 56 plastic packages containing an estimated 83kg of ecstasy pills.
Police also found 69 more packs of heroin, weighing 31.2kg.
Also found were equipment used to process heroin and ecstasy, indicating that the flat was used as a mini drug laboratory.
DCP Mat Zani said the syndicate, believed to have been active since September 2024, used high-security, gated residential apartments to avoid detection.
Police believe the drugs were smuggled into Johor from the east coast through courier services, before being sent to Singapore and Indonesia.
The male suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and had a criminal record from 2014, said DCP Mat Zani.
He had also been arrested in Singapore in 2015 for drug offences and was only released from prison in February last year.
“He resumed trafficking activities shortly after,” DCP Mat Zani said.
The two suspects were charged on April 4 under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The man acted as a transporter and runner for the syndicate, while the masterminds behind the operation are still being traced.
“We believe that the masterminds were not in the country.
“All communications are believed to have taken place via encrypted messaging platforms such as WeChat, WhatsApp and LINE, making it difficult for the couriers to identify their superiors.
“It is understood the suspects were paid between RM8,000 and RM10,000 per delivery, depending on the quantity of drugs,” said DCP Mat Zani.
He said police are now pursuing further action under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988 and efforts are ongoing to trace and seize the syndicate’s assets.
