Crime & Courts

Penang police smash drug trafficking syndicate, six nabbed [NSTTV]

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Two couples were among six people nabbed after police smashed a drug trafficking syndicate which processes their own drugs here last week.

One of the couples, a construction assistant contractor and his wife, both aged 37, have knowledge in processing heroin. Paraphernalia and chemicals used in drug processing were found in their rented apartment in Butterworth here.

State Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah said police successfully busted the syndicate following a series of raids between last Thursday and yesterday.

He said the raids were conducted in Juru and Simpang Ampat in the Seberang Prai Tengah district and Butterworth in the Seberang Prai Utara district.

"Following the raids, police seized an assortment of drugs worth RM86,768.65 as well as paraphernalia and chemicals used to process the drugs.

"The team also managed to seize assets worth RM162,250, including a Honda EX5 motorcycle, a Perodua Myvi, an Audi TT and a Honda Accord. The overall seizure amounted to RM249,018.65," he told a press conference at the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters here today.

Mustafa Kamal said in the first raid in Juru last Thursday, police checked a car with two unemployed men aged 34 and 40-years-old inside.

He said checks inside the car led to the recovery of 4,524gm of heroin worth RM50,261.64.

Mustafa Kamal said in a follow up operation, police went to a car wash, also in Juru, where they detained a third man, aged 30.

There, they found 228gm of syabu worth RM8,208 inside a bag the factory technician was carrying.

"The factory technician then led police to a rented apartment in Simpang Ampat where police arrested a 27-year-old woman, a private kindergarten teacher. The team seized 758gm of syabu worth RM27,288 inside the premises.

"Following further investigations, police went to another rented apartment in Butterworth at 5.30pm on Saturday where they detained the couple, both 37-years-old.

"Besides 91gm of heroin worth RM1,011.01 seized from them, we also found paraphernalia and chemicals believed to be used for processing heroin as well as RM1,250 cash," he added.

Mustafa Kamal said the syndicate has been active since the beginning of this year.

"Based on initial investigations, they obtained their drug supply from Penang and Kedah.

"They bought one pound of heroin (about 453.592gm) for RM2,700 before selling it at RM3,400, earning them RM700 for each pound of heroin sold," he said.

Urine tests of all four men came back positive for either meth, THC or morphine while the women tested negative.

All four men also had previous records for either criminal or drug related offences or both.

The 37-year-old couple have been remanded for investigations until July 31, while the other four until July 29.

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

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