Drug-laced coffee meant for night clubs
> Believed to be discarded by syndicate fearing possible police action
KLANG: The durian white coffee packets, which were laced with drugs, were meant for distribution by a syndicate at night clubs.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department deputy director DCP Datuk Kang Chez Chiang said police are in the midst of identifying the syndicate.
“Further tests conducted on the samples showed the coffee mixture packet had been opened and resealed. Also, the resealed packet was heavier by 10gm compared with the original weight.
“We believe the drug-laced coffee powder was meant for entertainment outlets in Penang but the syndicate discarded it along the road at Taman Ria, Air Itam in Penang possibly fearing police action,” he said when met at South Klang district police headquarters yesterday.
Kang added police believe members of the public who picked up the coffee packets would have been unaware they were laced with drugs.
“The public would not know the difference between a new packet and a resealed packet. We are waiting for the results from the Chemistry Department.
“The coffee powder could have been mixed with ketamine, syabu or ecstasy. Maybe the syndicate set a price for each mixture. If a single type of drug mixed with coffee powder could cost RM200, two types of drugs mixture could cost RM300 and so on,” he said, adding that police have ascertained the drug-laced drinks have no link to the New Psychoactive Substances.
“The durian coffee incident is confined to Penang so far,” he said, adding that police do not know yet how much drugs were mixed into the drinks.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said investigations on the coffee mixture by the Health Ministry’s Safety Department is expected to be concluded by the end of next week.
“As I’ve said in Penang yesterday (Sunday), there is a consistency – none of those who had taken this coffee bought it in a shop. It’s either given by individuals or taken from garbage bins, so there’s something fishy here, which is why we’ve asked the police to investigate it thoroughly whether there’s an element of crime,” he added.