KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Federal police have detained an Iranian chemist allegedly working for an international drug trafficking syndicate when they seized syabu worth about RM17.9 million from a drug-processing laboratory at a store in Klang last week.

The syabu, which was in liquid form, was meant for both local and international markets.

Another Iranian and two locals were also arrested to facilitate investigations into the drug seizure and activities at the store located in Kampung Padang Jawa.

All the suspects, aged between 23 and 34, were picked up in separate raids in Kampung Padang Jawa and Petaling Jaya last Friday.

They will be investigated under 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

Bukit Aman CID director (Narcotics) Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said a team of policemen raided the store in Kampung Padang Jawa about 8.30pm, following information that it was used as a venue for a drug-processing laboratory.

“In the raid, the police detained three people, including the suspected Iranian chemist and two locals, and seized 89.32kg in liquid syabu, drug-making paraphernalia and an assortment of chemicals,” he told a press conference here today.

About four hours later, he said the police nabbed another man suspected to have links with the drug syndicate, in Petaling Jaya following a chase from Jalan Syed Putra over the man’s refusal to heed the police order to stop his car.

“Earlier, the man had tried to ram the police team with his car, forcing the policemen to fire twice at his vehicle’s tyres before arrested the suspect,” said Noor Rashid.

The narcotics director said that based on initial investigations, an international drug-trafficking syndicate masterminded by an Iranian, was in league with its local counterpart.

“We believe the Iranian chemist under detention is well-versed with processing drugs,” he added.

On the Iranian drug connection, Noor Rashid noted that this was the first time that the foreigners had used a remote area to process drugs, deviating from the norm of using condominium units for drug-processing.

“This new tactic is to prevent detection of their activities,” he said, adding that the seized syabu was meant for local and international distribution. — Bernama