KUALA LUMPUR: At least RM9 million worth of cocaine was seized after police dismantled a drug laboratory in Cheras here.
The drug lab, which was run out of an apartment unit along Jalan Cheras, was said to have been operating since early this year before the long arm of the law caught up with it.
The raid was conducted with the cooperation of the Federal Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (NCID) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
NCID director Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said a married couple was among the three arrested following raids between 10pm and 11.45pm on Tuesday (July 16).
"We raided an apartment at Jalan Cheras, Batu 5 and arrested the couple, both aged 41.
"We also seized 44.93kg of cocaine worth RM9 million and 52.5 litre of chemicals used to process the drugs," he said at the Kuala Lumpur City police headquarters.
He said checks revealed the couple rented the Cheras apartment for RM2,350 monthly and used it to process the drugs.
Khaw said further checks revealed the syndicate was hiding chemicals and cocaine base in wine bottles in the apartment.
"They were operating since February this year.
"In a follow-up raid, we arrested a 38-year-old man at an apartment at Taman Kasturi, Cheras," he said adding that in that raid police also seized one kilogramme of chemical powder believed to be used in processing drugs.
He said investigations revealed that the woman arrested was the laboratory cook while her husband and the other male suspect were runners for the syndicate.
"Checks revealed the suspect arrested at Taman Kasturi had eight prior records for criminal and drug offences. He also tested positive for ketamine," he said.
Khaw said police also forfeited RM201,086.92 worth of assets from the syndicate including, three cars, cash, jewellery worth RM34,426 and five watches.
"Cooperation between our department and the DEA was instrumental in taking down this syndicate which was believed to be processing and distributing cocaine for sales abroad.
"We are now working to trace how the syndicate received its orders and where the drugs were headed to," he said.