POLICE say they have crippled an international drugs gang with the seizure of more than RM3.8 million in syabu and ecstasy pills, following a series of raids in Malacca and Selangor on Wednesday.

Malacca police chief Zainol Samah said eight local suspects – six men and two women – were arrested during the raids.

The suspects, which included two married couples, were aged between 25 and 48, he added.

He said the first raid at 3pm in Serkam, Jasin, netted two men and a woman in a car in front of a house.

After searching the house, police arrested another man and a woman, and seized 82.6kg of syabu, worth RM2.98 million, and 16.6kg of ecstasy pills worth RM831,000, he told a press conference in Jasin today.

Zainol said the syabu was found in sacks and tea bag packets, while the ecstasy pills were found in clear plastic bags, each containing about 5,000 pills.

He said Malacca and Bukit Aman narcotics CID teams also carried out three more raids in Permatang Serai and Kampung Pulai in Malacca, and Kota Damansara in Selangor on the same day, during which three more suspects were arrested.

“Our intelligence found the gang is believed to have been active since early 2022 and some of those arrested are fishermen.

“The urine tests on all suspects were negative but one of the suspects has previous convictions for drug-related offences,” he said.

Zainol said police also seized three motorcycles, four cars, jewellery, cash, and several foreign currency notes.

All the suspects are remanded for seven days until January 11 for investigation under section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – Bernama, January 6, 2023.