Four underworld gangs involved in drug trafficking tracked down in Johor
SHAH ALAM – Johor police are tracking drug trafficking activities involving four underworld gangs in the state.
Johor Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the groups were Gang 36, Gang 04, Gang 21 and Gang Jin Jee Tong.
He said that based on the statistics of arrests recorded this year from January to June, a total of 7,070 people were detained including 143 foreigners for various offences, in addition to the confiscation of 2,270 kilograms (kg) of drugs with a value of RM10.09 million.
"Of the number of these arrests, some of the arrests were related to the underworld gang.
"This is because profits and lucrative returns have led to some gangs recruiting new members and tricking them into drug dealers to make a profit for their group.
"However, the activities of these gangs are not so serious and have been successfully controlled after being busted in a series of operations and police raids," he told the Sinar Harian recently.
The modus operandi of the drug syndicate in Johor, Kamarul Zaman said, based on the arrest records made by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) Johor, the distribution tactic detected was to obtain supplies from the Klang Valley, north and East coast.
He said the syndicates would use a house or apartment with gated and guarded features as a drug storage store before being distributed to customers.
"Syndicates also uses the services of dispatchers and storekeepers to manage the distribution activities.
“Smuggling activities to Indonesia occur in coastal districts such as Muar, Batu Pahat, Pontian and Kota Tinggi," he said.
He added that the syndicate would use land and sea support services for regular shipments of drugs to Indonesia.
The smuggled drugs, he said, are put at houses or stores as transit before being shipped to Malaysia-Indonesia international waters via rat roads or illegal jetties.
"In addition, the police also conduct daily checks at Senai International Airport to detect if there is an attempted smuggling of drugs by air," he said.
Kamarul Zaman said the Johor Police would continue to use preventive laws under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985 dedicated to investigations that lead to drug trafficking activities, in addition to the two-year detention order and restriction at the rehabilitation centre.
"The police are also intensifying efforts to combat drug abuse by enforcing the provisions of Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries caning and imprisonment.
"Continued action is also being carried out with investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 against drug dealers," he said.
In addition, he said, operations such as Op Sarang, Op Parti Liar and Op Pusat Hiburan would be carried out continuously to curb drug abuse activities, especially in Johor.
