GEORGE TOWN: Penang police scored another victory in their fight against illicit drugs when they smashed a syabu trafficking syndicate with international ties yesterday.
This follows the arrest of two men, including an Indonesian, at an illegal jetty in Bagan Bukit Tambun, Simpang Ampat and the seizure of 105kg of syabu, a fibre boat and two engines worth about RM3.83 million.
State police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abdul Manan said in the 4pm incident, a team from the Marine Police Region One's marine intelligence unit (URM) detained the duo, aged 36 and 57, at the illegal jetty.
He said, following checks, the URM team found a sizeable amount of syabu inside an unnumbered fibre boat, which was tied to the jetty.
"Altogether, they seized 100 gold colour plastic tea packaging with the word 'GUANYINWANG' written on it, believed to contain syabu, weighing 105kg. Also seized were the fibre boat along with the Yamaha 200HP engines. The total amount of items seized amounted to RM3.83 million.
"The drugs, which can cater to some 210,000 drug addicts, are believed to have been on the way to a neighbouring country," he said today.
The syndicate has been active since May last year.
Sahabudin said initial checks showed one of the suspects had previous cannabis/ganja trafficking records back in 2011.
"They have been remanded for a week, beginning today until June 4, to assist investigations into the drug trafficking and smuggling syndicate with international links," he added.
The case is probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952, which either carries the mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment, upon conviction.
Penang police have smashed several drug syndicates with international links this year alone.
Last month, police smashed another syabu trafficking syndicate with international links following the arrest of a man and the seizure of syabu and heroin base worth some RM6.5 million in two separate raids in Permatang Pauh and Nibong Tebal.
The 31-year-old suspect, the main player in the syndicate who is attached to the private sector, was nabbed near a carpark in Permatang Pauh here. He was allegedly on his way to deliver the drugs.
In March, police uncovered an ecstasy processing laboratory and seized an assortment of drugs worth RM11.8 million from a house in Taman Pauh Jaya in Seberang Jaya. They nabbed three men, including two siblings, aged between 30 and 37, to assist in investigations.
Among the drugs seized were 170,272gm of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) worth RM10.216 million, 5,000gm of MDMA juice (RM108,000), 23,600gm of ecstasy pills (RM1.416 million), 3,500 Erimin 5 pills (RM52,500), 22gm of ganja (RM1,000), 25,000gm of caffeine powder (RM8,500).
Police did not discount the possibility that the syndicate too had international links.
Meanwhile, in February, police busted a syabu trafficking syndicate with international links, following the seizure of 623.75kg of the illegal substance worth RM22.76 million. The seizure of the drugs was the biggest recorded in the past five years.