SHAH ALAM: An international drug trafficking syndicate was found to be renting terrace houses near airports as transit points before handing cannabis buds to drug mules.
The tactic was uncovered following the arrest of nine individuals in Ops Lejogaster, which also led to the seizure of drugs worth RM21.62mil.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said all the suspects, aged between 22 and 51, comprised one local man and eight foreign men who were arrested in three separate raids in Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
He said the success of the operation, conducted from July 12 to Aug 3, was the result of intelligence work by Bukit Aman NCID.
“The operation also rescued four foreigners from being further exploited and used as drug mules by the syndicate.
“Ops Lejogaster was the result of continuous intelligence gathering and surveillance by Bukit Aman NCID to uncover a cannabis trafficking syndicate operating for the international market,” he said at a press conference at the Selangor Police Headquarters here yesterday.
The first raid on July 12 in Bayan Lepas, Penang, saw two suspects arrested, with checks on a vehicle finding two luggage bags containing 60 packets of suspected cannabis buds weighing 31.72kg. Police then searched a house in the same area and seized another 60 packets of cannabis buds weighing 31.14kg.
On Aug 3, police raided a house in Taman Bukit Citra, Mantin, Negri Sembilan, arresting a suspect and seizing 10 luggage bags containing 170 packets of cannabis buds weighing 175.76kg.
Police then arrested five more foreigners in Sepang, Selangor, four of whom were believed to have acted as drug mules.
The third raid was conducted on the same day at Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas, where another foreigner was arrested with two luggage bags containing 60 packets of suspected cannabis buds weighing 31.65kg.
In total, police seized 270.27kg of cannabis buds worth about RM21.62mil, along with 0.5g of methamphetamine.
Comm Hussein said the use of Penang International Airport showed that the international syndicate was beginning to use alternative routes following increased enforcement at the KL International Airport.
“When KLIA becomes more heavily monitored, other airports may be used.
“As I have always said, these syndicates constantly look for opportunities and use every avenue available, whether through air, land or sea routes,” he said.
He also said the syndicate was believed to be working with local networks to use Malaysia as a transit country, bringing in drug supplies from the north before transporting them out through international airports, including KLIA and Bayan Lepas.
Police also seized various assets estimated to be worth RM117,172, including jewellery, mobile phones, laptops and a vehicle, bringing the total value of seizures to RM21.73mil.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
