JOHOR BARU: Police crippled a drug syndicate producing and distributing flavoured narcotic-laced juice in small packs and seized contraband worth RM2.218 million on April 2.
Three suspects - two men and a 32-year-old foreign woman were arrested in a raid at a house in Setia Indah, while one of the suspects later led the police raiding team to house in Seri Alam, in Pasir Gudang, where the drugs were stored.
Both houses were rented by syndicate members and were used to store the drugs including ecstasy, ketamine and syabu, all in powder form and also ecstasy pills.
The trio in police custody were remanded to facilitate investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which punishment includes mandatory death sentence or life term imprisonment and caning.
All three tested positive for methamphetamine, while both men had drug-related and criminal records.
Johor police chief Commissioner M. Kumar said the drug syndicate members aged between 32 and 51, who allegedly started operating in the two premises since the beginning of the year, had crushed syabu and ecstasy pills before mixing it in the repacked juice packets.
He said syndicate members sold the narco-laced juice to their regular clientele, and repacked them in juice packets to elude police.
Police investigations revealed each pack would fetch up to RM200.
He said consuming the drug-laced juice could be fatal.
"Police believe the narco-laced juice, upon consumption, could lead to an overdose, especially if it is consumed by children.
"The repacked juice packet could fool anyone thinking they are legitimate juice packs," he told a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here today.
Police mounted surveillance on the syndicate's operation before the premises were raided.
It is learnt the modus operandi was to distribute the narco-laced juice packs to party-goers and regular clientele at entertainment outlets in the state capital.
Police are confident of flushing out the syndicate mastermind out of his hiding.
The narcotics officers seized 345 packets of ecstasy mixed with fruit flavouring and three containers of ecstasy powder weighing 13.256 g valued at RM2.213 million.
Also seized were 27 ecstasy pills (RM1,670), 1.20 g of ketamine (RM240), and 24.70 g of methamphetamine (RM2,717).
The men in blue also confiscated a car, motorcycle, gold ring and RM5,300 during the raids.