International drug ring busted

By GLADYS TAY

JOHOR BARU: Police scored a second major success this month when they busted an international drug syndicate and seized drugs worth RM48mil in several raids on Saturday.

Twelve syndicate members, including three Singaporeans and a Thai, were arrested.

The success follows a March 4 operation when police busted a mega drug lab in the city with the seizure of 260kg of drugs worth RM44mil.

Five Mexicans, three Singaporeans, a Canadian and a local have since been charged in court with trafficking.

Drug haul: Comm Zul Hasnan (second from left) showing reporters the seized heroin in Johor Baru yesterday. Looking on is Federal deputy narcotics director Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Noh Kandah (third from left).

In both cases, the drugs, including heroin, Eramine, Ecstasy, syabu and ketamine are believed to be for the international market.

Federal narcotics crime investigations department director Comm Datuk Zul Hasnan Najib Baharuddin said that six luxury vehicles and over RM1mil in cash were recovered in the latest raids by federal and state Narcotics officers in cooperation with the Singapore Central Narcotics Bureau.

Police got their lead when they arrested two men and a woman who led them to a house in Taman Iskandar.

There, three others, including a woman, were picked up and police seized over 46kg of heroin, 1,980 Eramine pills, 11,316 Ecstasy pills, 0.37kg of syabu and 1.54kg of ketamine.

Comm Zul Hasnan said police arrested a man in a house in Permas Jaya and found drug-processing chemicals and equipment.

In another raid at a house in Taman Pelangi, police discovered a store holding the various drugs and arrested a Singapore man and a Thai woman.

Another Singapore couple were picked up at an apartment in Larkin.

“This is the biggest seizure of heroin in the country this year,” Comm Zul Hasnan said.