Kedah police foil drug syndicate, seizing 112kg of cannabis worth RM4 million and arresting a 24-year-old transporter paid RM18,500 for his role.
ALOR SETAR: Kedah police have foiled a major drug distribution attempt, seizing 112.43kg of cannabis worth an estimated RM4.04 million.
The Kedah Police Contingent Headquarters’ Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department intercepted a Toyota Vellfire on October 29 along the North-South Expressway near the Sungai Dua Toll Plaza in Penang.
Kedah Police Chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said a 24-year-old local man was arrested during the 2.30pm operation conducted with assistance from Bukit Aman and Penang narcotics units.
“Further inspection of the vehicle’s rear compartment led to the discovery of four large boxes wrapped in black plastic, each containing 51 transparent plastic packets filled with cannabis flowers,” he told a press conference.
The suspect had rented the vehicle before driving to Chuping, Perlis, where three syndicate members took the vehicle and returned it loaded with drugs.
Adzli said the syndicate, comprising five individuals, had been operating since early October in the northern region, obtaining cannabis supplies through “rat trails” in Chuping before the drugs were believed to be sent to Kuala Lumpur.
“If these drugs had reached the market, they could have been used by 224,874 users,” he said.
Interrogations revealed the suspect, a native of Seberang Perai with eight previous criminal records related to gambling, acted as the “transporter” and was paid RM18,500 for his role.
The suspect has been remanded for seven days until Wednesday at the North Seberang Perai District Police Headquarters lock-up in Penang.
Police are tracking down the remaining syndicate members believed to still be at large under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
In a separate case, Kubang Pasu District Police arrested a 59-year-old man and seized 15.5kg of cannabis worth RM48,050 in a raid on a house in Pida 6, Ayer Hitam on October 29.
An inspection outside the suspect’s house uncovered a plastic barrel containing eight transparent plastic packages of cannabis.
Preliminary investigations found all drugs were brought from Satun, Thailand via sea routes and handed to the suspect for temporary storage.
Further investigation led to the arrest of a man believed to be the syndicate mastermind in Arau, Perlis, on the same day, with 3.3kg of cannabis also seized.
The suspect has been remanded for six days until Tuesday to facilitate investigations. – Bernama
