JOHOR police made the biggest drug seizure in the history of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) when they confiscated drugs worth RM201 million in three raids around Johor Baru on Thursday and Friday.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the bust followed investigations into 14 suspects of a drug smuggling and distribution syndicate who were caught here on Tuesday.

He said, in the raid on Tuesday, the NCID had uncovered two drug processing laboratories and two stores where drugs worth RM125.8 million were kept. 

“Interrogation of the suspects led police to raid the three other locations, used to store drugs – a factory in Taman Mount Austin and two rented houses in Taman Setia Indah.

“In these raids, police found 3.2 tonnes of ecstasy powder, 26.1kg of liquid ecstasy and 117kg of Eramin 5 powder, all of which could have been used by 11 million drug addicts,” he told a press conference today.

He said police also seized four luxury vehicles, RM5 million in cash, foreign currency worth RM231,961, 30 types of jewellery valued at RM124,435, three Rolex watches worth RM250,000 and 62 bank accounts with money totalling RM1.23 million in the raids.

“The total haul (drugs and assets) amounts to RM210.52 million,” he said.

Two local men, aged 34 and 38, were also arrested, one at 5.20pm on Thursday in Taman Mount Austin and the other at 2.30pm yesterday in Taman Gaya, Ulu Tiram on suspected involvement in the syndicate.

Ayob said one of the suspects was mechanic who was responsible for modifying vehicle compartments to hide drugs.

“This syndicate has been in operation since 2018 and rents factory premises and houses to store and process drugs. 

“The two suspects are on remand for seven days from the date of their arrests and are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said.

Ayob said with this latest case, the total drug seizure by Johor police since Tuesday amounted to RM341.79 million. – Bernama, January 17, 2021.