POLICE busted a heroin processing lab, detained two local men and seized an assortment of drugs worth RM5.78 million in a series of raids in Penang, last Tuesday.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crimes Investigation Department (NCID) director Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said Penang NCID undertook the raids, following the arrest of a 46-year-old man at the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway at 4pm on Tuesday. 

“Following his arrest, police raided a supermarket car park in Alma, Bukit Mertajam about 8pm the same day and detained another man aged 42.

“Police were then led to a luxury condominium in Tanjung Tokong where they discovered a heroin processing lab,” he told at a press conference in George Town today. 

In the raid at the condominium, police also seized 65.38kg of heroin base, 13.62kg of heroin, 8.48kg of caffeine, and numerous drug paraphernalia, all worth RM5.78 million, he said, adding that a Toyota Estima multi-purpose vehicle worth RM70,000 was also seized in the operation.

Kamarudin said based on preliminary investigation, the heroin base was smuggled overland from Thailand and the syndicate is suspected of being active since early this year and had been moving around to evade detection. 

“The two suspects are experts in heroin processing and have been renting the condominium unit since last year,” he said, adding that police were on the hunt for other members of the syndicate.

He said, the two men, both unemployed, with no previous record and tested negative for drugs, were on remand for seven days until August 23 under section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – Bernama, August 18, 2023.