BALIK PULAU: Southwest district police busted a mini drug processing laboratory with the arrest of a syndicate member and seized an assortment of drugs worth more than RM125,000 recently.
In the 5pm incident last Sunday, a team of police stopped a Perodua Myvi in Sungai Nibong during an operation codenamed Op Tapis.
Police searched the car and found about 505g of what was believed to be heroin wrapped inside two plastic packets and 30.5g of what was believed to be syabu wrapped inside 15 plastic packets.
The drugs are worth about RM11,000 and can be used by some 3,000 addicts if it found its way into the market.
Southwest district police chief Superintendent A.A. Anbalagan said police arrested the 31-year-old lorry driver to assist investigation into the case.
He said the suspect, with two previous records for drug-related offences, tested positive for methamphetamine.
"Following interrogation, the suspect led police to a condominium unit in Persiaran Bayan Indah at 9.30pm the same night, where police uncovered the mini drug processing laboratory.
"Inside the unit, police found 10 plastic packets of what is believed to be heroin weighing 2,914g, six plastic packets of what is believed to be syabu weighing 365g, two plastic packets of heroin base weighing 232gm and four plastic packets of caffeine weighing 2,938g.
"The raiding party also seized a box of caffeine weighing 13,800g, a bottle of chloroform, two bottles of hydrocloric acid, one bottle of diethyl ether, salt, colouring and paraphernalia used to produce the drugs.
"The drugs in the second raid are valued at RM113,298, and can be used by 18,000 addicts if it found its way into the market," he told newsmen at the district police headquarters this afternoon.
Anbalagan said police were now on the hunt for more syndicate members, who are believed to have been active for the past three months.
"The suspect arrested is just one of the syndicate members. We are looking for other members as well as the mastermind.
"From what we gathered, the drugs are meant for the southwest district market," he added.
Meanwhile, he urged those with information about drug activities to furnish such information to the police for further action.