GEORGE TOWN: Mixing ecstasy with chocolate powder.
This is one of the latest tactics employed by drug syndicates to evade detection.
Their efforts, however, hit a snag following the arrest of three syndicate members, aged between 30 and 31, in three separate raids in Penang and Perak between Wednesday and yesterday.
It is learnt that ecstasy powder was mixed into packets of branded chocolate drink before being distributed to addicts.
Deputy state police chief Datuk Roslee Chik said in the operation which began at 3.30pm on Wednesday, police arrested a suspect and found drugs inside a car in Air Itam here.
This then led to the arrest of the second suspect.
“Following the arrests, we raided a double-storey terrace house in Taiping, Perak, and found a laboratory there, believed to be used to process the drugs,” he told a press conference today.
“During the three raids, we seized 349 packets of the chocolate drinks, believed to be laced with ecstasy powder weighing 11.885kg.
“We also seized 80g of ketamine, 800 ecstasy pills, 700 eramin 5 pills and packaging equipment.
“The drugs seized are worth RM1.3 million, and if they flooded the market, will be able to cater to 35,360 addicts.”
Roslee said police also confiscated RM3,000, a Honda City and a Mercedes Benz, which are estimated to be worth a total of RM143,500.
The trio are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952.
They have been remanded until next Wednesday.