In what appears to be a severe blow to the island’s drug kingpins, the police seized an assortment of narcotics worth about RM10 million and uncovered six drug processing laboratories.
The laboratories, apart from three stores, were located in the Datuk Keramat, S. P. Chelliah, Perak Road and Air Itam residential areas.
This followed the arrest of 14 people, including four women, in a series of raids jointly carried out by the federal and Penang police, over four days, beginning last Thursday.
The suspects, aged between 28 and 52, have been remanded until tomorrow, to facilitate investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
The drugs seized comprised syabu (16.9kg), heroin base (18.65kg), heroin (54.16kg), ketamine (16.36kg), ecstasy powder (7.82kg), opium (350 grammes), ganja (five grammes), ephedrine (109kg), 112,080 ‘WY’ pills and 12,650 ecstasy pills.
The police also seized 11 vehicles, jewellery, watches, laptops, digital cameras and an assortment of currencies totalling over RM666,132, to facilitate investigations under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.
Also seized were drug-processing paraphernalia, an Ilama pistol and 77 rounds of ammunition during the operation.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Noor Rashid Ibrahim said today, the raids were jointly carried out by the federal police and the island’s narcotics department.
He said, previously, drug syndicates had rented some of the luxury Condominiums before turning them into drug processing laboratories.
“The trend has changed now. Drug syndicates nowadays, prefer smallerlaboratories in residential areas to avoid detection by the authorities,” headded.
– Bernama
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