Police Seize Drugs Worth RM598.9 Mln, Bust Klang Valley Syndicate

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has crippled a drug syndicate processing and distributing methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, worth RM598.9 million following a series of raids in the Klang Valley on Sept 10.

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said a total of 3,586.45 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs were seized, marking the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department’s (NCID) biggest haul this year.

He said the special integrated operation, codenamed ‘Op Pine’, was carried out based on solid intelligence and continuous monitoring between 8 am and 11 am at three separate locations in Kepong here and in Dataran Templer in Selayang, Selangor.

“In the raids, four local men aged between 34 and 51 were arrested. Investigations revealed they each had specific roles — a coordinator, a chemist, an assistant and a transporter or deliveryman,” he told a press conference at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here today.

Mohd Khalid said the first raid at an industrial premises in the Kepong Industrial Park led to the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of 136 drums and one plastic container containing liquid suspected to be MDMA, weighing 3,330 kgs, as well as 563 glass bottles of chemical liquid weighing 1,200 kgs.

“Also seized were eight drums and six bags of chemical powder weighing 213.7 kgs, along with various drug-processing equipment,” he said.

“Police also seized 41 plastic drums and two glass bottles of chemical liquid weighing 947.35 kgs, as well as one plastic container and two plastic bags of chemical powder weighing 52.4 kgs. In the third raid at a house in Dataran Templer, another suspect was arrested, although no drugs were found,” he said.

He said the drugs seized had the potential to endanger the lives of 12 million users if they had reached the market.

Mohd Khalid said initial investigations revealed the syndicate had been operating since July, using rented industrial premises as illegal laboratories before distributing the drugs locally and abroad.

“We do not rule out the possibility of exports to Indonesia and Australia. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

“Action has also been taken under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, with assets worth RM336,224 seized, including five vehicles — a Toyota Vellfire, Unser and Caldina, a Proton X70 and a Mazda 6 — as well as a Toyota forklift, RM2,000 cash, a ring and several gold-coloured coins,” he said.

Checks on the suspects’ records showed that one had a previous conviction under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, while urine tests found only the fourth suspect positive for ketamine.

“All four suspects were remanded for seven days from Sept 11 to 17, and today the court granted a further seven-day extension until Sept 24 to assist investigations,” he said.

-- BERNAMA