KAJANG: Concealing over 500kg of cocaine and methamphetamine drugs in a container loaded with onions was the tactic employed by a syndicate led by a Sri Lankan man to deceive the authorities.
This plot was uncovered by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, which detected a container from Pakistan arriving through sea routes at the Port of Klang on Oct 24.
It is understood that more than 411kg of methamphetamine and 100 kg of cocaine were successfully seized during a raid around Cheras Prima, here, while the syndicate members were unloading the drugs from the container into a warehouse, yesterday.
The Director of JSJN Bukit Aman, Datuk Seri Mohd Kamarudin Md Din, stated that the Sri Lankan man, who is believed to be the coordinator responsible for bringing in these drugs from Pakistan, was arrested along with six local men.
"The investigation revealed that the syndicate's modus operandi is to bring in drugs from Pakistan through sea routes and sell them in the Klang Valley.
"We believe that these drugs were possibly meant for the neighbouring country's market due to the substantial quantity. We suspect that this syndicate has been active since early this year," he said during a press conference at the Kajang District Police Headquarters (IPD) here today.
Kamarudin said that the syndicate concealed the drugs inside sacks of onions and placed them at the rear of the container to make inspections difficult.
He added that this seizure involving drugs arriving via sea routes from Pakistan was the first of its kind carried out by JSJN in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM).
When asked whether there had been an increase in demand for cocaine in the local market, Kamarudin suggested that methamphetamine remained the primary choice for users in the country due to its lower price.
"Cocaine is a drug often used by the affluent because of its high price, which can reach RM200,000 per kg, whereas methamphetamine is only RM36,000 per kg," he said.
Kamarudin further stated that the total value of the seized drugs and assets amounts to over RM34 million, estimated to be sufficient for 2.6 million users.
He added that the police also confiscated two Perodua Myvis, one Perodua Bezza, one Proton X70, one Toyota Alphard, and a BMW.
"All suspects aged 21 to 53 are remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act (ADB) 1952.
"Action has also been taken under the ADB Asset Forfeiture Act 1998, where JSJN has seized various assets owned by the syndicate worth RM384,964."