Police in George Town have apprehended a 51-year-old man suspected of involvement in a drug trafficking syndicate during an overnight operation. Penang deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad stated that police also seized syabu worth RM571,500 during the operation, which took place from 7pm on Monday to 8am on Tuesday.
The operation was carried out at a housing park in Nibong Tebal, where the suspect was caught on the porch of his rented house. It was discovered that the drugs believed to be syabu, weighing approximately 17.297kg in 17 packs, were disguised as “refined Chinese tea.”
Investigations uncovered that the suspect had been collaborating with a drug syndicate that has been active since October of the previous year. The rented house, costing RM1,400 a month, was allegedly used as a storage facility for the illegal substances.
The confiscated syabu was intended for distribution within the local area, potentially reaching 87,000 drug addicts. The suspect, with a history of past drug and criminal offenses, tested positive for methamphetamine. Additionally, police seized a car valued at RM18,000 and RM1,200 in cash.
The suspect has been detained for a week from March 26 to April 1 to assist in the investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. In a separate incident, police were successful in dismantling a drug syndicate in Tanjung Tokong by apprehending three suspects, including a 20-year-old woman.
The suspects, aged between 20-30, were captured in an apartment where a variety of drugs worth RM27,940 were discovered. During the raid, 84 black plastic packets containing drugs possibly MDMA weighing about 1.792kg, 4 transparent packets with 20 ecstasy pills each weighing around 13.75g, and three transparent packets with syabu weighing about 6.75g were seized.
This syndicate has been in operation since the beginning of the year, with the drugs presumably intended for distribution within the local community. The three suspects have been remanded for seven days and are facing investigation under Section 39 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
