IPOH: Perak police scored a major success of the year with the seizure of 413.92kg of Erimin 5 pills and 25.33kg of Erimin 5 powder worth RM30.6 million in Klebang, Chemor.
Federal Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Seri Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said the raid was conducted at a rented bungalow here at 9.30am on Tuesday, and two men aged 44 were picked up.
Mohd Kamarudin said further investigation showed that the duo has been renting the bungalow for a year for RM2,800 monthly and the drug processing 'factory' has been operating since March this year.
"During the raid, police also confiscated machines and apparatus believed to be used to process and pack the drug as well as two airsoft guns.
"Police also confiscated a Toyota Altis, a motorcycle, two gold rings and cash worth RM1,624 and these items were believed to be obtained from drug sales.
"The modus operandi used by this syndicate is to process and package the drug Erimin 5 pills before distributing them to the locals and outside the state market," he said at a press conference at the Perak contingent police headquarters here today.
Mohd Kamarudin added that a urine test conducted on the duo was positive for amphetamine and they had previous criminal records involving drug offences.
When asked how the duo learnt to process the drug, Mohd Kamarudin said police believed that they learnt through social media and their other friends who were experts in the 'field'.
When asked about the purpose of having two airsoft guns, he believed that it was used for their protection.
"Police are also intensifying efforts in tracking down other members in the syndicate and we are also investigating where this syndicate receive the raw materials to process the drug.
"The Erimin 5 drugs that we seized could have supplied 2.2 million addicts in the country," he added.
Mohd Kamarudin said that the duo has been remanded for six days beginning Aug 16 to facilitate investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act and Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960.