KUALA LUMPUR: A drug distribution line from China ended when police nabbed 17 suspects in raids around Klang Valley and Penang recently.
The drug haul by Bukit Aman Narcotics Department with the assistance of Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group was worth RM51 million.
Narcotics Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said 370kg of drugs were confiscated from the 11 raids — resulting in the syndicate being shut down.
The operation was carried out with China’s Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security and the Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong police.
Sixteen men and a woman aged between 24 and 57 were detained.
The drugs seized were 220kg of methamphetamine, 132kg of pills and ecstasy powder and 18kg of ketamine. The 32-year-old syndicate mastermind was also caught.
“I don’t like calling them kingpins or drug barons because they are actually germs and infectious diseases destroying society,” he said.
Two of those arrested were Bangladesh nationals while the rest, including the mastermind, were Malaysians.
The locals have been remanded while the two foreigners were detained under the Immigration Act.
Two suspects tested positive for drugs while four had criminal records.
Police seized 18 modified vehicles worth RM1.8 million, RM129,000 in cash and jewellery and branded watches estimated at RM40,000.
He said the vehicles were modified to conceal the drugs with a special compartment in the car boot.
“It looks normal but the syndicate members could open the compartment with a remote control device.”
He said the Narcotics Department had seized RM61 million worth of drugs this year and police were working closely with foreign authorities to cripple international drug syndicates.
