AUDREY DERMAWAN
GEORGE TOWN: The activity of two cousins, involved in distributing ganja since March, was thwarted after they were arrested by police in a raid on Jalan Perak last Thursday.
In the 8:38pm incident, police arrested the two male cousins, aged 18 and 28, and seized 52.59kg of ganja, estimated to be worth RM163,047.
Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Razlam Ab Hamid said police arrested the duo in a residential parking area on Jalan Perak.
"At the time of the raid, they were believed to have just received the ganja from a supplier via land transport. They were loading brown boxes, suspected to contain the drugs, into a SUV," he said to newsmen at the northeast district police headquarters here today.
Razlam said police confiscated a brown box containing 20 compressed blocks of dried leaves wrapped in transparent plastic, suspected to be ganja, weighing approximately 21.04kg, valued at RM65,227.
"Additionally, police also found a car key carrying the Ford label.
"Further inspection by the raiding team inside the Ford Ranger SUV at the same location led to the seizure of another two brown boxes.
"These boxes contained 30 compressed blocks of dried leaves wrapped in transparent plastic, suspected to be cannabis, with an estimated weight of 31.55kg, valued at RM97,820," he added.
Razlam said intelligence revealed the cousins had been actively distributing the drugs since early March for the local market.
"The total amount of drugs seized could potentially be used by about 105,192 people or 105,192 uses.
"Urine tests conducted on both suspects showed that the 28-year-old suspect, who works as an electrical technician, tested negative for drugs. However, the 18-year-old suspect, who assists the first suspect with electrical wiring works, tested positive for ganja and has two previous drug-related records," he added.
Both suspects have been remanded for seven days from Aug 9 until Aug 15 for further investigation.
Police also seized RM2,300 in cash.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952