Cops find over 400kg of syabu, ketamine hidden in tea packets
KUALA LUMPUR: Drugs worth more than RM17mil were seized during a raid on a terrace house in Taman Sri Hartamas here.
A syndicate used the house to store the drugs before selling them locally and overseas.
A 30-year-old Malaysian man, who works as the syndicate’s coordinator and transporter, was detained in the raid on July 29.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said 234kg of syabu hidden in 225 tea packages and 205.7kg of ketamine in 200 tea packages were seized.
“The drugs are worth RM17.78mil. They could have been supplied to 1.8 million drug users,” he told reporters at the police headquarters yesterday.
The detained suspect was paid RM7,000 for each trip of drugs transported, he added.
Major haul: Comm Hussein (centre) speaking at a press conference about the seized drugs. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
“We believe he already made 10 trips before being caught. The house was rented by the syndicate for RM6,000 per month for a year,” he said.
Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate has been active since June.
“We believe the drugs had just arrived from a neighbouring country on the northern part of the Malaysian border.
“The drugs were transported by land.”
Comm Hussein said the NCID planned the operation within a month after receiving credible intelligence.
“Given the size of the drugs, the syndicate is huge with good network overseas,” he said.
“The NCID will continue to track down other members of the syndicate and the mastermind.
“We also seized two cars, three luxury watches and a mobile phone.”
In another case, 42.3kg of ganja buds worth RM1.48mil were seized at an apartment in Taman Kuchai Entrepreneurs on July 29.
“We detained a local man along with a man and two women from Vietnam.
“The local man was the syndicate’s transporter and coordinator while the foreign suspects had arrived in Malaysia on July 8.
“The Vietnamese women also worked as guest relation officers,” he said.
The drugs seized were meant to be distributed in the Klang Valley, he said.
Comm Hussein said the NCID will continue to combat the drug menace but needs the cooperation of the public.
“We urge those with information to contact the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222,” he said.
