KUALA LUMPUR: A drug trafficking syndicate that rented a luxury condominium unit to store and distribute drugs was raided by police.
The condominium, rented for between RM2,500 and RM3,000, was primarily used to store ketamine and ecstasy pills before distribution by the syndicate members.
However, the syndicate's luck ran out last Monday when their activities were uncovered through two separate police raids in Cheras and Cheras Perdana.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) from the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) conducted the raids at both locations between 11:35am and 5pm.
"Three local men, aged between 23 and 30 years, were arrested, and nearly 20kg of drugs were seized during the operation.
"At the first location, the police confiscated a green bag containing drugs believed to be ketamine, weighing 10.5kg, and arrested the three men.
"Following the arrest, the police team proceeded to a condominium in Cheras Perdana where the drugs were stored before distribution. There, they found three transparent plastic packages containing drugs believed to be ecstasy, weighing 5.2kg, and two white plastic packages containing ketamine, weighing 4kg," he said at a press conference at IPK Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He said that the syndicate's modus operandi involved obtaining drug supplies from a neighbouring country before selling them in the local market.
"Police also confiscated RM900 in cash, jewellery worth RM4,000, and a Perodua Myvi car during the operation.
"Preliminary drug screening tests on the three suspects revealed that two tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and ketamine," he said.
Rusdi added that all three suspects have been remanded for six days to facilitate investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.