KUALA LUMPUR: Police seized RM3.89 million worth of methamphetamine from two drug trafficking syndicates actively operating in the Klang Valley.
Police also arrested 17 syndicate members including three women, all aged between 26 and 65, in two operations around Gombak and Ampang earlier this month.
Selangor police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed said in the first operation on Aug 6, a police team from the federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) arrested three men at a housing area in Batu Caves and seized 97 bags of drugs believed to be methamphetamine.
The bags contained 100.74kg of drugs, he said, adding that police also seized a Perodua Bezza car in the 3pm arrest.
"Police arrested four more men believed to be members of the syndicate at four different locations around Gombak, Selayang and Cheras for investigations.
"Checks showed that five of the seven suspects arrested had past criminal and drug related records," he said, adding that three tested positive for opiates and cannabis at the time of arrest.
Arjunaidi said police also seized RM114,750 cash, four vehicles worth RM240,000 as well as money in four accounts amounting to RM93,670 from the suspects.
In the second bust, he said, police arrested two men and two women inside a Toyota Estima and a Volkswagen Passat at a supermarket parking lot in Ampang about 11.15am, on Aug 8.
"Checks inside the Volkswagen Passat led to the discovery of 7.35kg of methamphetamine. Police also picked up six more suspects in a series of follow up raids in Penang," he said.
Arjunaidi said seven of the 10 suspects in the second case also had past criminal and drug records, while three of them were positive for methamphetamine.
"The estimated value of the seizure was about RM976,720 including RM12,970 in cash, seven vehicles worth M495,000, 12 pieces of jewellery worth RM37,570, three watch straps worth RM85,000, as well as money in 20 accounts amounting to RM346,180," he said.
He said the total value of drugs seized in the two cases was worth about RM3.89 million and the total value of seized items from both cases was RM1.43 million.
"The seized drugs are believed to have been obtained from neighbouring countries for distribution in the Klang Valley and Selangor.
"Both groups are unrelated syndicates that have been actively operating between six months to a year now.
"All of them have been remanded and this case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for trafficking," he said.
If convicted, he said they will be sentenced to death by hanging.