MalayMail-Sept 17
Police crippled a major drug syndicate and uncovered two illegal laboratories in Kepong last week, seizing nearly 3.6 tonnes of ecstasy worth an estimated RM598.9 million. Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the bust, codenamed Op Pine, was carried out by the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) on September 10 following weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering. The morning raids, conducted at several industrial premises in Kepong and a house in Dataran Templer, Selangor, also led to the arrest of four local men aged between 34 and 51. “Based on our investigations, one of them acted as the coordinator, another as the chemist responsible for producing the drugs, the third as an assistant, and the fourth served as the transporter,” Mohd Khalid told reporters at a press conference here today. Police seized a total of 3,586.45kg of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), better known as ecstasy, which could have been supplied to around 12 million users if it had reached the streets.
The raids also uncovered various drug-processing equipment. In addition, police confiscated several vehicles, including a Toyota Vellfire, Toyota Unser, Toyota Caldina, Proton X70, Mazda 6, and a Toyota forklift. Authorities also seized RM2,000 in cash, a ring, and several gold-colored coins, with total frozen assets amounting to RM336,224. “All suspects have been remanded for seven days, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries the mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment with whipping,” he said. The IGP added that the syndicate, believed to have been operating since July, rented industrial premises as makeshift laboratories to process the drugs before distributing them locally and abroad such as Indonesia and Australia. Read more at:
