Police Cripple Ketum Syndicate With Arrest Of Six

IPOH, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Police have arrested six men at a house in Taman Pakatan Jaya near here on suspicion of being involved in a syndicate selling ketum water.

Ipoh police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the suspects, aged between 24 and 42, were arrested at about 12.10 am yesterday.

He said police seized 10 ice barrels containing 3,000 packets of ketum water amounting to 900 litres and 35 black plastic packages containing 350 kilogrammes of ketum leaves, all valued at RM41,000.

"The urine test of one suspect was positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine while two suspects had previous criminal records," he said in a statement today.

Abang Zainal Abidin said the syndicate is believed to have been distributing ketum water for the past two years.

He said the seized ketum water could be consumed by about 3,000 addicts, with the supply meant for the Ipoh area.

According to him, the suspects have been remanded for three days starting yesterday to assist in investigations under Section 30 (3) of the Poisons Act 1952 and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA