SANDAKAN: Police have dismantled a ketum juice processing operation, and a drug-laced vape liquid distribution network, following the arrest of a local man in Taman Tai Fai Yen, on Friday.
Sandakan district deputy police chief Supt K Ramasamy said that the 42-year-old suspect was apprehended by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division while he was processing the substances at his residence, around 12 noon.
“The suspect was found with 7.85 kilogrammes of ketum powder, along with equipment for processing and storing ketum juice, and 227 bottles of vape liquid of various brands and sizes containing drugs, with an estimated value of RM25,230,” he said in a statement today.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had been processing and selling ketum juice on his own, delivering supplies to regular customers, disguised as a food delivery driver, to evade police detection.
The suspect, who does not have a permanent job, had been involved in processing ketum juice and selling drug-laced vape liquid for the past two years and had been arrested multiple times for similar offences.
He added that the suspect is now remanded for four days, until Aug 20, for further investigation under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952.
