Police Bust Syabu Lab In Penang Durian Farm, Seize 1.2 Tonnes Of Drugs

BALIK PULAU, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- Police have successfully dismantled a methamphetamine processing laboratory in a durian orchard, on Jalan Teluk Bahang, here, run by an international drug trafficking syndicate after arresting three foreign men and seizing 1.2 tonnes of various types of drugs worth RM38 million in a series of raids in Penang on Saturday and Sunday.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said that based on intelligence information, a Bukit Aman NCID team raided a unit in a condominium on Jalan Gurdwara, George Town and arrested three foreign men aged 32 to 38 who are believed to be from an Asian country.

"In the raid, a 27-year-old local man tried to escape from the house but fell from the 5th floor and died at the scene. Inspections found 26 kilogrammes (kg) of methamphetamine and various drug packaging equipment.

"The police then raided a business premises in Taman Windmill on Jalan Gurdwara and we seized 474 kg of methamphetamine which is believed to be the location where the syndicate stored and packaged the drugs before distributing them," he told reporters at a durian orchard that was turned into a drug processing laboratory, here today.

He said the police then raided a durian orchard located about 1 kilometre from the main road and succeeded in dismantling a large-scale methamphetamine processing laboratory there by seizing 60 kg of methamphetamine powder, 54 kg of suspected methamphetamine crystals, 574 kg of methamphetamine liquid and various drug processing equipment.

Hussein said all the methamphetamine seized amounted to 1.2 tonnes and had a market value of RM38 million and the drugs can be used by six million drug addicts.

He said police investigations found that the syndicate had been carrying out the activities since August with three men who were arrested acting as chemists who were brought into the country specifically to processing syabu.

According to him, the local man acted as a coordinator by managing the location, place of syabu processing and also accommodation and transportation for the three chemists with the leader of the syndicate also coming from an Asian country as well as suspects abroad.

“They have made a three-layer fence in the 32-acre durian orchard and it has been rented since September for RM80,000 a year, they have also installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the area,” he said, adding that the suspect also made an illegal electrical connection in the durian orchard.

He said the international drug processing and distribution syndicate brought in chemicals and equipment for processing syabu from abroad and made Malaysia a place to process the illicit substance before it was distributed for the local and foreign markets.

Explaining further, Hussein said that the syndicate leader gave instructions from abroad for all their activities including all matters of distribution and delivery of drug supplies and chemicals for those who carry out these activities.

"Malaysia has been made a hub for processing syabu and the syndicate also uses several methods to produce syabu including in liquid, powder and crystal form with it being produced according to the location to those distributing it.

"We also managed to detect the syndicate's new tactic by dissolving syabu into sheets of fabric before sending it via international courier companies to avoid detection by the authorities, which is to obscure the authorities of the activity," he said.

He said that so far, his party has detected seven parcels that have been sent to Australia and Hong Kong with each weighing two kilogrammes and his party believes that the recipient of the parcel used special materials to obtain the syabu that has been dissolved in the sheets of fabric.

Following their arrest, he said the police also seized a four-wheel drive, a forklift, a Toyota Vios, and an ATV, all worth RM181,000, with three of them testing positive for syabu and one of them having a criminal record in his home country.

All of them are now remanded for seven days until Dec 27 and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA