MACHANG: To avoid detection by the authorities, ketum syndicates nowadays choose jungles to process the leaves into juice.
Their tactics, however, were discovered by the state Customs Department.
Kelantan Customs director Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long said his team went to a forested area in Kampung Pek here based on public tip-offs on the illegal activities.
"After raiding the place, the team found three tents, a hut, several gas containers and a few kitchen appliances which were used to boil the ketum leaves.
"Also seized were 500kg of ketum leaves and several big containers which were used to store the ketum juice.
"No one was arrested in the operation but the seizure, including that of several motorcycles, were worth about RM100,000," he told reporters at the scene today.
Wan Jamal said initial investigations showed that the syndicate has been active since early this year.
"Our investigations showed that the ketum leaves were smuggled to Kelantan from another northern state.
"Based on the record books obtained at the scene, the syndicate sold the ketum juice at RM10 per packet.
"The records also showed that they gained profits of between RM700 and RM5,000 in a single day," he said.
Wan Jamal said the seizure was the biggest made by the department so far this year.
"We suspect the syndicates have between 10 and 15 members who all are locals. The ketum juice was meant for local distribution," he said.