Police dismantle a Langkawi drug syndicate, arresting 191 including key figures, with RM14.1 million in drugs and assets seized
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) dismantled a drug distribution syndicate in Pulau Langkawi with the arrest of 191 individuals, including several ‘key figures’ in Op Langka.
Bukit Aman NCID director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the special operation was launched on April 10 following intelligence gathering and detailed investigations since January this year into drug trafficking activities on the island.
He said 231 raids were carried out in Pulau Langkawi and the Klang Valley, involving various offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“In this special operation, NCID successfully detained several ‘key figures’, with charges already filed and more to follow.
“This includes a charge under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 against a suspect with 10 prior records, five under Section 12(2), four under Section 15(1)(a) of the same Act, and one under Section 160 of the Penal Code,” he said in a statement today.
Raids were also conducted at a house hosting ‘private parties’, where police arrested three local men and seven Thai women, and seized 82 grammes of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) powder, 12.5 grammes of ecstasy pills, 12.5 grammes of Erimin 5 pills, and four grammes of ketamine.
“Another raid in the Klang Valley led to the arrest of seven individuals, including foreigners from Singapore and the Philippines.
“In that raid, police seized 170 kilogrammes of cannabis buds and seven kilogrammes of cannabis, with the total value of drugs seized and assets confiscated reaching RM14.1 million,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hussein said based on investigations and police operations, NCID believes there is involvement of police personnel in drug distribution activities in Pulau Langkawi.
“As such, aggressive action will be taken under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985, and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA),” he said.
He added that a report by a local newspaper referring to a ‘Pablo Escobar’ linked to drug trafficking activities in Pulau Langkawi was inaccurate, as intelligence findings showed the group did not operate on a large scale and had no international network or extraordinary assets.
Yesterday, a local newspaper reported the existence of a drug syndicate in Langkawi, allegedly led by a police officer known as ‘Mr A’, assisted by other syndicate members, including women, raising concerns among local residents.
