Police Seize Meth Worth RM13.6 Mln, Uncover Drug Storage House

SHAH ALAM, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Police arrested five men and seized 425.25 kilogrammes (kg) of methamphetamine worth RM13.6 million in four raids conducted around Puchong and Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Commissioner Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said those arrested were aged between 33 and 64, including the syndicate leader.

He said the series of raids, which began at 11.20 am, also uncovered a terraced house used as a drug storage facility.

"The first suspect was arrested at a parking area in Puchong town centre with 103.87 kg of methamphetamine found inside the car he was driving, followed by the arrest of another suspect in the second raid along the main road of the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), where 37.21 grammes (g) of methamphetamine were seized.

"The third raid at a restaurant in Bandar Puchong Jaya led to the arrest of the third and fourth suspects, and checks at a terraced house in the same area uncovered 321.02 kg of methamphetamine," he said at a press conference here today.

Hussein said the fifth suspect, identified as the coordinator or leader of the syndicate, was nabbed at a parking area near the Sri Petaling LRT station in Kuala Lumpur during the operation, which ended around 12.40 pm.

Initial investigations found that the first and second suspects acted as transporters, while the third and fourth suspects were storekeepers. Their modus operandi was to use terraced houses as storage facilities before distributing the drugs to the local market.

Police did not rule out the possibility that the drugs were also intended to be distributed to Sabah and Sarawak, as well as smuggled into Kalimantan, Indonesia.

"Urine tests showed three of the suspects tested positive for ketamine, and all of them have prior criminal records involving crime and drugs," he said, adding that they are remnants of a major syndicate dismantled by police in Bagan Datuk, Perak, back in March.

Hussein added that all suspects were remanded for seven days, starting yesterday until Aug 25, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

During the raids, police also seized items worth RM133,350, including two cars, two watches, various types of jewellery and RM3,950 in cash.

-- BERNAMA