JOHOR BARU: The Johor police crippled three drug trafficking syndicates following a series of raids in Johor Bahru and Batu Pahat between May 11 and 14, which led to the arrest of 10 individuals and the seizure of drugs worth RM4.3mil.
Acting Johor Police Chief Hoo Chuan Huat said the suspects, aged between 24 and 54, comprised three local men, two local women, a Singaporean man, three Vietnamese women and a Thai woman.
Investigations found that the syndicates, believed to have been active since January, used gated and guarded condominiums as well as terrace houses as storage and repackaging centres before distributing the drugs to the local market.
In the first operation conducted in Johor Baru, police arrested a local couple along with five foreign suspects believed to have played different roles in the trafficking network.
Authorities seized various drugs weighing 19.06kg as well as 9.01 litres of liquid drugs with an estimated street value of RM1.47mil.
Several assets, including seven bracelets valued at RM23,975, two luxury watches worth RM40,000 and two vehicles were also seized, Hoo told a press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters on Monday (May 18).
Urine tests found three suspects positive for methamphetamine and two positive for ketamine. Only one suspect had a criminal record.
In the second operation in Batu Pahat, police arrested a local man believed to be acting as a storekeeper for a drug syndicate.
The raid resulted in the seizure of about 9.48kg of drugs and 0.102 litres of liquid drugs worth RM1.15mil, along with two vehicles and RM280 in cash.
The suspect tested positive for ketamine and was remanded for seven days beginning May 13.
Meanwhile, the third operation in Johor Bahru saw police detaining a man believed to be a drug dealer together with a female accomplice.
Police seized 13.07kg of drugs worth RM1.73mil, along with three vehicles and several other items.
Hoo said one suspect tested positive for ketamine while another had a prior criminal record.
All cases are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – Bernama
