KUALA LUMPUR: What appeared to be an ordinary bungalow in Selangor was allegedly being used as a drug-processing lab by a syndicate believed to be led by foreigners.
Police detained three suspects after discovering a large quantity of drugs, drug-processing equipment, a pistol and seven rounds of ammunition at the residential unit in Ampang.
Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of eight more suspects and the seizure of additional drugs.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the 11 suspects, aged between 25 and 48, are eight men, including two foreigners, and three foreign women.
The drugs seized comprised nearly 345kg of methamphetamine powder, more than 347kg of liquid methamphetamine, 3.84kg of MDMA powder, some Erimin 5 pills and cannabis.
The drugs, estimated to be worth RM35.24mil, were enough to supply three million addicts, he said.
Comm Hussein said the syndicate was believed to have been processing and distributing drugs since January.
“The operation not only crippled the drug trafficking network but also uncovered an illegal lab believed to have been used to process drugs.
“This foiled the syndicate’s attempt to supply drugs to both the local and international markets,” he told a press conference at the Police Training Centre here yesterday.
Announcing the department’s success, Comm Hussein said police first raided the bungalow in Ampang on Sept 10.
The second raid at a condominium here led to the arrest of two more suspects and the seizure of 3.52kg of MDMA powder, some cannabis and Erimin 5 pills.
Comm Hussein said four subsequent raids in Kepong and Brickfields here, as well as Sepang and Subang Jaya in Selangor, led to the arrest of six suspects.
The fifth raid in Subang Jaya also uncovered various drug-processing equipment at a premises believed to be undergoing preparations to be turned into a lab.
“The premises is believed to have not been operational yet,” he said.
Comm Hussein said five of the suspects had been remanded for 13 or 14 days each, while six others were released on police bail.
He said police also took action under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, to confiscate 11 vehicles, a watch, two bank cards and RM3,610 in cash, totalling RM1.79mil, from the suspects.
