KAJANG: More than 6 tonnes of drugs with an estimated street value of RM1.04bil were seized following raids in Seri Kembangan and Kepong, dealing a major blow to an international drug syndicate.
The raids, carried out on Dec 21, targeted remnants of the syndicate that was initially crippled in an earlier operation on Dec 16, during which drugs worth RM1.53bil were seized and six suspects detained.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the latest operation was a follow-up to the earlier raid, codenamed Ops Gaharu.
“We conducted the latest raids at Selesa Jaya Industrial Park in Seri Kembangan and an industrial area in Kepong on Dec 21.
“In total, we seized 6.1 tonnes of liquid MDMA, 20.3kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of ketamine, with a combined street value of RM1.04bil, along with various equipment used to process drugs,” he told reporters at the Semenyih police station on Friday (Dec 26).
Comm Hussein said the drugs seized in the latest operation could have been supplied to as many as 20.7 million users.
Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate's mastermind is a foreigner and remains at large.
“We believe the drug precursors and chemists were supplied from the same country. The syndicate used Malaysia as a processing hub before distributing the drugs to several overseas destinations, including Hong Kong and Australia,” he said.
Comm Hussein added that police would seek the assistance of overseas counterparts and Interpol to track down the remaining members of the syndicate, including its mastermind.
During the first series of raids on Dec 16, police arrested three locals and three foreigners. Investigators believe the syndicate comprises more than 12 members and has been operating since January.
Overall, Comm Hussein said the two rounds of raids on Dec 16 and 21 resulted in the seizure of 24.7 tonnes of drugs valued at about RM2.6bil.
“This is arguably the biggest syndicate we have busted.
“They operated 14 premises — four factories and 10 residential properties — which were used as drug-processing laboratories and storage facilities,” he said.
According to Comm Hussein, the international syndicate hired locals to act as coordinators for its operations.
“Each premise was rented at between RM6,000 and RM10,000 a month.
“Based on the equipment seized, it is clear that this was a large-scale and well-organised drug operation,” he added.
