Illegal cargo: DCP Mat Zani (second from right) standing next to a boat which was used to transport various types of drugs, during a press conference at the Setiu District Police Headquarters. — Bernama
BANDAR PERMAISURI: Police have busted the largest international drug trafficking syndicate on the east coast, seizing 590.18kg of methamphetamine and heroin base, worth RM25mil, in two raids in Setiu.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) acting director Deputy Comm Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali said the drugs were brought in through the Golden Triangle from Vietnam, entering via Kelantan and Terengganu waters.
They were repackaged in Setiu before being prepared for shipment by sea to Australia.
He said the first raid took place at 9pm on April 23, leading to the arrest of a 32-year-old local man from Selangor, who was unloading 29 bags from a boat onto the Sungai Setiu riverbank.
“An inspection of the multicoloured bags revealed 470 plastic packages, suspected to contain 479.27kg of methamphetamine and 297 blocks of heroin base, weighing 109.89kg.
“The second raid at 10pm, about 500m from the first location on the shore of Pulau Tok Bilal, led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man from Terengganu.
“He was found with a backpack containing 1.02kg of methamphetamine in a fibreglass boat,” DCP Mat Zani said at a press conference at the Setiu district police headquarters yesterday.
The syndicate, which has been active since March, smuggled the drugs using rented boats, costing RM4,800, under the guise of fishing trip packages, to reach the drop-off location for repackaging.
“They would then be transferred to a yacht in the waters off Terengganu before being sent to Australia. The seized drugs could have been used by 2.95 million addicts,” he said.
He said the modus operandi is the first of its kind detected by local authorities and is believed to have been used to evade law enforcement.
Investigations also revealed that both suspects, who were paid RM50,000 each, are from the same syndicate and have criminal records under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Police also seized three vehicles belonging to the suspects – a Toyota Vios, a Honda Civic and a Honda EX5 motorcycle, as well as jewellery, a branded helmet and RM1,631 in cash.
Both suspects are being remanded for 14 days from April 24 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
DCP Mat Zani said the major drug bust was the result of close collaboration with the NCIDs of the Terengganu and Kelantan police contingents, as well as the Marine Police Force.
This followed a month-long intelligence operation to dismantle an international syndicate that uses Malaysia as a transit point.
