JOHOR BARU: There is no evidence that the New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) drugs, which causes its users to be in a zombie-like state, are available in Johor.
Johor deputy police chief Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said the surveillance by the state Narcotics Investigation Department had yet to detect the availability of NPS drugs in the state.
"We will stay vigilant on the NPS threat and will continue to be alert by sharing information with our international counterparts," said Kamarudin at a Press conference here.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh last month said that 27 of 800 NPS drugs produced abroad had been detected as being used in the country.
NPS drugs were popularly known as Zombie drug as those consuming the drugs will behave in a zombie-like manner, become highly aggressive and hallucinative.
Earlier, Kamarudin announced that police had crippled a drug trafficking syndicate which was active in Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur with the arrests of seven suspects during a series of raids on Saturday.
The raids on the six premises, five in Taman Mount Austin and Bandar Dato Onn in Johor Baru and one in Kuala Lumpur, was carried out by Bukit Aman's Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (STING).
"The raids were carried out after we received information from Singapore Central Narcotics Bureau and Thailand's Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau," said Kamarudin.
He said the seven suspects, including two women, were aged between 26 and 52.
"We also seized various drugs valued at about RM1 million, including 8.2 kg of methamphetamine, 1.5 kg of heroine, 605 grammes of ketamine and over 6,000 Eramin 5 and ectacy pills. We believe the drugs were for local and overseas markets," said Kamarudin.
He said police also confiscated cash totaling to RM144,756, jewellery and seven luxury cars valued at over RM900,000.
"All the suspects have been remanded and we are investiging whether there are other syndicate members still on the loose," he said.
Kamarudin said the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking.