Crime & Courts

Cops bust syabu trafficking syndicate with international links [NSTTV]

GEORGE TOWN: Penang police busted a syabu trafficking syndicate with international links, following the seizure of 623.75kg of the illegal substance worth RM22.76 million last Thursday.

The seizure of the drugs is the biggest recorded in the past five years.

Federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Razarudin Husain said this was the first time the police motorcycle patrol unit (URB) successfully foiled a major drug trafficking syndicate.

Razarudin said at 2am last Thursday, two police corporals from the Seberang Prai Tengah district's URB unit, stumbled upon a lorry stopping at Juru Sentral.

He said the policemen conducted checks and came across three unidentified men, two of whom managed to flee, while they nabbed a 23-year-old Indonesian man, from Acheh, believed to be involved in drug trafficking activities.

At the time of the arrest, the suspects were transferring the drugs from the lorry into a Honda BRV, to be brought to their rented condominium in Juru Sentral.

He added that the corporals then conducted checks inside the lorry and found 495 packets of the syabu, and immediately called for back up.

"When the Seberang Prai Tengah district's Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) back up arrived, they conducted further searches inside the lorry and found another 101 packets of syabu in a specially modified compartment in the floor of the lorry.

"The suspect then led the police team into the rented condominium unit, where they found another five packets of syabu. Altogether, the police team managed to seize 601 packets of syabu, weighing 623.75kg, worth RM22.76 million.

"If the drugs found its way into the market, it would have used by some 3.1 million addicts. That would have been the damage done.

"As such, we want to thank the two corporals for being highly responsible and for their initiative, which led to this latest success," he told newsmen at the state police contingent headquarters here.

Razarudin said police have since identified the two Indonesian men who fled and had sought assistance from their Indonesian counterpart to track down the two suspects

They have been identified as Zulfikar, 32, and Haris Fareza, 21.

"We believe they are still in the country," he added.

Razarudin also said that police have nabbed four men, three in Johor and another in Selangor, aged between 27 and 51, to assist investigations into the matter.

All five, currently in police custody, tested negative for drugs and one had previous records under Section 506 of the Penal Code.

Razarudin said, based on interrogation, the drugs were believed to have been brought in from Thailand into Kelantan and subsequently to Penang.

"We believe part of the drugs were meant to be distributed locally while another half to be sent to Indonesia.

"The syndicate has been active since June 2020," he added.

Razarudin also said the lorry was stopped at several road blocks and the driver had declared it as carrying essential items.

The case is being probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952.

The Honda BRV worth RM80,000 has also been confiscated.

Most Popular
Related Article
Says Stories