JOHOR BAHRU: Johor Police have successfully busted a drug trafficking syndicate believed to have been active since the beginning of this year through two separate raids in residential areas around Johor Bahru, with the value of the seizure estimated to exceed RM7.1 million.
Johor police chief CP Datuk M Kumar said the special operation was carried out by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) of the Johor police contingent headquarters with Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division, at about 7.30 pm, between June 14 and 15.
He said that in the first raid at a two-storey terrace house in Taman Mutiara Rini, police arrested a 45-year-old local man believed to be the mastermind along with a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman.
“As a result of the inspection, police seized 2.67 kilogrammes of powder believed to be ecstasy and 368 grammes of drugs suspected to be marijuana,” he said in a press conference today.
Following the arrest, police launched a second raid on another terrace house about a kilometre from the first location, which had also been rented by the same male suspect since May 2024 and arrested a 23-year-old Vietnamese woman.
“In this second raid, police seized 38 kg of ecstasy powder and 1.37 kg of ketamine,” he said.
In both raids, police also seized two cars worth RM190,000, cash RM49,150 and various jewellery worth RM17,630, with the total seizure amounting to RM265,615.
He said the two foreign women were believed to have entered the country legally, but further investigations were being conducted into their travel documents.
The syndicate is believed to operate in an organised manner, including using social media and delivery via ‘runners’ and police believe there are still members at large out there and investigations are underway to track them down.
He said that apart from being used as a residence, the first house is believed to be used as a place to store drugs, while the second house is a location to package the drug powder into small packets which are believed to be sold in the local market for RM250 to RM350.
Kumar said urine tests showed that the man involved tested positive for methamphetamine while the two foreign women tested positive for ketamine and benzodiazepines.
All of them have been remanded until June 26 for further investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
