JOHOR BARU: A series of raids, beginning with a drug processing lab, located deep inside an oil palm plantation near Masai, have led authorities to its biggest drug bust in two years.
A team from Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID), Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (STING) and Johor police seized RM32.4 million worth of ecstasy pills, ecstasy powder, chemicals and drug-making apparatus in the nine-hour operation on Tuesday.
Six Malaysian men aged between 30 and 58, a 46-year-old Singaporean man, and a 27-year-old Vietnamese woman, were arrested the operations, which took place at six locations in Johor.
Federal NCID director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said the operations started at 1.30am on Tuesday.
He said the team zeroed in on the drug processing lab, which was just a wooden shack, located inside an oil palm plantation in Kong Kong Laut, Masai as well as another five premises around Johor Baru.
"The location at Kong Kong Laut is believed to be the main processing lab for the syndicate. Police seized 51,750 ecstasy pills and 227.6kg of ecstasy in its loose powder form, which can be produce more than 700,000 pills.
"Another 713kg of chemical compounds used in drug processing were seized from the lab. Drug-making apparatus and equipment meant for large-scale production were also seized. It is estimated that the syndicate could likely produce about 1.2 million ecstasy pills," Mohmad told reporters at the Johor police headquarters on Thursday.
He said one of the eight suspects, a Malaysian man, who is the syndicate’s chemist, was arrested at the oil palm estate. The other suspects were picked up from the other locations.
Also seized in the operations were a packet of methamphetamine weighing 10.51g, local and foreign currency amounting to RM350,000, and seven vehicles estimated at RM590,000.
"All of the suspects arrested have been remanded for a week since Tuesday to facilitate police investigations. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 for trafficking dangerous drugs," said Mohmad.