Thrift shop transformed into place to store drugs
Six individuals were arrested with drugs worth almost RM1 million
GEORGETOWN - Penang police have busted a drug trafficking syndicate after detaining six individuals with drugs worth almost RM1 million in several raids in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) area, since Monday.
State police chief Datuk Mohd Suhaily Mohd Zain said the arrests were made during a planned operation carried out by the SPT District Police Headquarters Narcotics Crime Investigation Division between 4am on April 25 and 3am on April 27.
This, has then led to the discovery of a storage room disguised as a 'bundle' shop selling clothes in Bukit Mertajam.
He said in the first raid, police nabbed a 47-year old mechanic with a packet of syabu weighing 1,055 grammes worth about RM37,980.
"The arrest led to three more raids at two premises located close to each other where five more suspects were arrested and police found 23 packets of syabu worth RM575,755," he told a press conference at the Penang Contingent Police Headquarters here on Thursday.
Mohd Suhaily said interrogation carried out on the suspects had led to the discovery of the storage room where 144 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 146,250 grammes worth RM365,625 were kept.
He said initial investigation also revealed that the syndicate had been active in drug trafficking since last January by selling them in the local market.
He said the supply of drugs were believed to have been obtained from Southern Thailand.
Apart from the drugs, he said the police also seized three vehicles totaling RM45,000.
"Urine screening tests conducted on all suspects aged between 22 to 55 found that three of them were positive for drugs.
"In fact, checks also found that five of them had previous records related to drug offences and other crimes.
"All the suspects are now remanded for seven days until May 1 and are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a mandatory death sentence, if convicted," he said.
