Cops on the tail of 3 with ‘Tan Sri’ and ‘Datuk’ titles
THREE individuals with “Tan Sri” and “Datuk” titles, who are allegedly masterminds of drug cartels in the country, are now on the police radar. The trio, all above 45, were believed to have used hotels, shipping, logistics and iron companies as fronts for illicit activities, including the distribution of cocaine abroad.
The men did not use their company employees involved in legitimate businesses for drug distribution and smuggling to avoid any leaks.
Federal police Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Razarudin Husain said the Tan Sri and Datuk had another group of staff to handle the smuggling of drugs by sea, storage and distribution.
“NCID is gathering information and evidence from the drug syndicate members, who have been arrested before we nab the trio.
“In fact, we have arrested some of their men through several operations at the federal, state and district levels nationwide,” he said when contacted by Berita Harian yesterday.
Razarudin said it was crucial for his team to obtain strong evidence before any arrests were made to ensure the men were punished under the provisions of the law.
“We will arrest those active in the peninsula once we have strong evidence to prove their involvement in drug trafficking and distribution,” he said.
He said based on initial intelligence, the Tan Sri’s and Datuk’s staff or runners would smuggle the drugs to Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesia using air cargo and ships. He said the country’s largest drug bust in 2019 where 12 tonnes of cocaine valued at RM2.4 billion were seized at the North Butterworth Container Terminal is also believed to be related to the trio.
On Saturday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador revealed that police had identified several masterminds of drug-trafficking syndicates in the country who are hiding behind their titles of “Tan Sri”, “Datuk Seri” and “Datuk”.
He said: “I will make sure that these people are put behind bars. Although I know they are (with the titles) ‘Datuk’, ‘Datuk Seri’ or even ‘Tan Sri’, we will expose their irresponsible acts and bring them to justice, or at least place them under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959.”