GEORGE TOWN: Police smashed a drug trafficking syndicate with the arrest of six members of a family and seizure of drugs worth RM128,912.00 here last Saturday.
The six included a 57-year-old man, his 45-year-old Indonesian wife, their two children (aged 16 and 22), and two other relatives (aged 22 and 64).
Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong said police first detained the 57-year-old man in Prai and found some drugs on him on Saturday evening.
He said, following interrogation, the man led the team to his kampung house in Jelutong, where the remaining five family members were nabbed along with the drugs.
He said the house was used to store and package the drugs.
"Initial investigation revealed one of the family members was aware of the drug activities.
"We are still probing if others are in the know too," he told newsmen at the district police contingent headquarters here this afternoon.
Soffian said among the drugs seized were 3,192gm of what believed to be syabu, worth RM114,912.00, and 148gm of what believed to be Yaba pills, worth RM14,000.
He said police also seized cash amounting to RM59,000 during the raid at the home.
"The total amount of seizure, including the drugs, amounted to RM188,812.
"Further checks showed the syndicate has been active for the past six months and the drugs are meant for the local market.
"The drugs, if found their way to the market, can be used by 23,010 addicts," he added.
All six have been remanded until March 10 to assist in investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952.
Urine tests on the 57-year-old man came back positive for methamphetamine while others came back negative.
Only he alone had previous records.