KOTA BARU: Police have smashed a drug smuggling syndicate following the arrest of seven individuals and seizure of drugs worth RM4.6 million recently.
Federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Ayub Khan Mydin Pitchay said the seven, including a couple, were nabbed in six separate operations in the state.
He said the operations, which were jointly carried out between Kelantan police and the Federal police, were held between April 15 to 16.
He said the drugs comprised of 101.5kg syabu, methamphetamine pills (19kg), and cough mixture believed to contain codeine (4 litres).
"Police detained the couple in the first operation in Pengkalan Chepa on April 15 on possession of some of the drugs.
"In the follow-up operations the same day and the following day, they detained the six men and seized the rest of the drugs," he told a Press conference here today.
In the operations, Ayub said police also seized various types of valuables belonging to the seven worth more than RM500,000 which includes several vehicles, cash and jewelleries.
"The seven aged between 25 and 46, are all locals, and believed to be among the drug syndicate groups in the state.
"They have been active since December, last year. All drugs and the properties seized were worth about RM5.1 million," he said.
He added that intial investigation showed that the drugs were smuggled into Kelantan via the many illegal jetties along the border.
"Early investigations also revealed that the drugs were for local distribution and was for the consumption of more than 600,000 drug addicts," he added.
Ayub said the seven including a boat operator and several jobless men, have been remanded for seven days beginning April 16.
"All seven were found negative in drugs but one of them had a previous drug record," he added.
Ayub said police were investigating whether the group was linked to international syndicates.
"We are still searching for the rest of this syndicate's members," he added.