SHAH ALAM (BERNAMA) – Police have uncovered a drug-processing laboratory, believed to be masterminded by an international syndicate, following the arrest of 12 individuals and the seizure of drugs and firearms worth MYR120 million in three separate raids across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin said those arrested in the raids, carried out on January 16, comprised a local man, 10 foreign men and a foreign woman, aged between 20 and 50.
He said that the first raid on a warehouse in Puncak Alam, at about 2.20pm, led to the arrest of eight foreign male suspects who were processing drugs believed to be intended for both domestic and international markets.
“An inspection of the premises uncovered drugs, such as Erimin 5 weighing an estimated 306 kilogrammes (kg) and ecstasy (183.7kg), along with drug-processing equipment and various chemicals, which we believe were sourced from a neighbouring country,” he told a press conference at the Selangor police contingent headquarters on Sunday.
Khaw said the second raid, conducted at around 2.30pm at a house in Puncak Alam, resulted in the arrest of two foreign men believed to be coordinators for the syndicate, as well as a Thai woman, whose role has not yet been determined.
He said a further inspection of the premises found five transparent packages, each containing powder and crystal lumps believed to be ketamine, with an estimated weight of 533 grammes (g), along with 70 tablet packages suspected to be Erimin 5, weighing approximately 203g.
Khaw said that the interrogation of the three suspects from the second raid led to the inspection of a house in Kuala Lumpur used as a storage facility for the drugs.
“An inspection of the premises found about 310kg of ecstasy, 21.1kg of cocaine, 5.2kg of syabu, 3.6kg of heroin, 1.8kg of heroin base, 0.5kg of ganja, and 0.4kg of ketamine, along with 15 pistols, a submachine gun, and 900 bullets.
“The police are looking into multiple angles to determine whether the firearms were brought in for personal reasons or for other purposes,” he said. He said that during the third raid, carried out at about 2.40pm, the police arrested a local man, believed to be the syndicate’s coordinator, at a house in Seri Kembangan.
Khaw said that checks on all foreign national suspects, conducted through the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB), revealed that six male suspects had prior cases involving drugs, murder, violent crime, and fraud.
He added that three of the suspects tested positive for ketamine.
“We believe that this syndicate has been active since the end of last year. The police also seized other items, including several vehicles, a forklift, and cash worth about MYR1 million,” said Khaw.
