113,039 suspects nabbed during raids
RM123mil worth of drugs seized this year, say police
We have busted syndicates that were using all sorts of ways to smuggle drugs in, including via courier and cargo services.
DCP Kang Chez Chiang
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have seized RM123mil in drugs during raids around the country this year.
Also, 113,039 suspects were arrested for drug offences, said Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) deputy director Deputy Comm Datuk Kang Chez Chiang.
Of these, more than 16,000 are suspected drug traffickers.
In addition to that, “more than RM85mil worth of assets belonging to suspects and drug syndicates have been seized,” he told a press conference in Bukit Aman yesterday.
DCP Kang was listing the successes of the NCID and the Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (Sting).
“We have busted syndicates that were using all sorts of ways to smuggle drugs in, including via courier and cargo services,” he said.
He said that among the suspects arrested were 5,012 foreigners, 133 of them from Africa. Last year, 272 Africans were nabbed.
Police are keeping a close watch on Nigerian drug syndicates, which are known for trafficking syabu.
But some of these syndicates have switched to ganja after their supplies of syabu were cut off as a result of more stringent enforcement by the authorities, said DCP Kang.
One such syndicate was busted on Monday by NCID and Sting, following raids in Seri Kembangan, Sungai Besi and Petaling Jaya.
Officers seized 24.5kg of syabu, valued at RM100,000, and arrested nine foreigners.
DCP Kang said the mastermind of this particular syndicate was believed to be a 36-year-old student studying business administration at a private college.
He was among eight Nigerian men arrested, aged between 25 and 42. Also detained was a 34-year-old Ugandan woman.
DCP Kang said the syndicate was mainly distributing drugs in Malaysia, but it also exported to the United States, Canada and some other countries. He said the syndicate used drug mules to smuggle in the ganja.
“We believe it has been operating for about six months,” he said, adding that the bust was made with help from the US Drug Enforcement Administration.