JOHOR BARU: Police have crippled a drug syndicate with the arrest of seven suspects, including a Singaporean man.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said raids were conducted at a gated and guarded apartment unit in Taman Megah Ria and a shoplot in Taman Sri Tebrau on Monday and Tuesday (March 30 and 31).
He said those arrested comprised four local men, one local woman, a Singaporean man and a Vietnamese woman, all aged between 31 and 60.
"One of the suspects is a 38-year-old local man whom we believe acted as the syndicate’s coordinator, overseeing drug distribution activities.
"The other suspects were involved in repackaging the drugs and selling them to regular customers at entertainment centres," he said at a press conference here on Thursday (April 2).
Police also seized 9.74kg and 2.4 litres of drugs such as MDMA powder, liquid MDMA, ecstasy powder and pills, Erimin 5 pills, and syabu worth a total of RM1.24mil.
Comm Ab Rahaman added that the syndicate, believed to have been active since October, used the rented apartment and shoplot as storage and repackaging centres before selling the drugs on the local market.
He said six of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamine and one for benzodiazepine.
All suspects have been remanded for seven days until Monday (April 6) for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
