IPOH, March 15 — Police seized drugs worth RM5.2 million after raiding a drug processing laboratory masquerading as a fish-rearing project in an oil palm plantation near here.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department deputy director Datuk Kang Chez Chiang said the laboratory was uncovered after the raid in Gopeng, 18km from here, which led to the arrests of four men including three siblings.

He said 74.55kg of syabu and 29.45kg of Ephedrine, drug processing equipment, chemicals, and two cars and a luxury watch, the latter three of which were valued at RM30,000, were also seized during the raid on Monday.

He said the syndicate had rented the land for rearing fish before turning it into a drug laboratory since two months ago.

"They built three sheds to store chemicals, to house a laboratory and a drying facility, "he told a media conference at the Perak Police Contingent Headquarters here today.

"The four suspects were processing drugs in the laboratory during the raid,” he said, adding two of those detained had past records for robbery.

He said police did not rule out that the suspects were trained to process drugs due to the orderly arrangement of the equipment and the cleanliness of the laboratory.

He said the drugs produced had yet to be sold and regarded the seizure as among the biggest in the state this year. — Bernama