Penang drug lab busted, 3 held
PENANG police uncovered an ecstasy processing laboratory and seized an assortment of drugs worth RM11.8 million from a house in Taman Pauh Jaya in Seberang Jaya near here on Monday.
The team, from the state and Seberang Prai Tengah Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, also arrested three men, including two siblings, aged between 30 and 37, to assist in investigations.
State police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abdul Manan said the team launched an operation against the drug syndicate following a tip-off and a two weeklong surveillance.
He said, at 9.30am on Monday, the raiding team tailed a Range Rover Evoque, with two men inside, at Taman Sutera in Seberang Jaya near here.
“Sensing the presence of the raiding party, the suspects sped off. While doing so, the suspects’ car rammed into the raiding party’s vehicle, causing the former’s car to skid about 3km after being pursued.
“The raiding party managed to nab the two men inside the car,” he told a press conference at the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters here this morning.
Sahabudin said following interrogation, the suspects led the raiding party to a terrace house in Taman Pauh Jaya at 1.20pm the same day.
“Checks inside the house led the raiding party to the illegal ecstasy processing laboratory and the seizure of an assortment of drugs worth RM11.8 million.
“Among the drugs seized were 170,272gm of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy drugs worth RM10.216 million, 5,000gm of MDMA juice, 23,600gm of ecstasy pills, 3,500 Erimin 5 pills, 22gm of ganja and 25,000gm of caffeine powder.
“Also seized were 10 litres of liquid alcohol, three machines to produce tablets worth RM12,000 and other drug processing paraphernalia.
“We believe the drugs are meant for the local market and the syndicate has been active since September last year,” he said, adding that if the drugs had found their way into the market, it could have been used by some 651,134 addicts.
Sahabudin said about 5.30pm the same day, police arrested a third man, aged 30, in a house in Sungai Petani, Kedah to assist in investigations.
He is the younger brother of the first suspect, aged 33.
“Further investigations revealed that the first two suspects arrested were the ‘chemists’ with expertise to cook the drugs and process the ecstasy pills.
“Two of them tested positive for meth and had previous drugrelated records,” he said.
Sahabudin said investigations also revealed that the syndicate had rented the house in the affluent residential area to process the drugs to avoid detection.
“Each ecstasy pill produced was sold for between RM5 and RM10 to the syndicate’s chain before being sold to customers for between RM25 and RM35 each.
“The syndicate also produced MDMA juice by repacking them into 3-in-1 drink sachets before being sold for between RM250 and RM300 a pack at entertainment centres.
“We are not discounting the possibility that the syndicate may have international links,” he added.
Sahabudin said police also seized six cars, including a Range Rover Evoque, a Kawasaki Z800 motorcycle, jewellery and two bank accounts, all of which amounted to RM525,800.
The other vehicles seized in the operation were a Toyota Camry, a Subaru, a Honda Odyssey, a Mini Cooper One and a Mercedes Benz, which was registered to a Thai national.
“Altogether, the total seizure amounted to RM12.34 million,” he added.
The three suspects have been remanded for a week to assist in investigations into Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.