JOHOR BARU, April 5 — A police inspector was arrested here today for his alleged involvement in an international drug syndicate, which gave the state police a record seizure of 2.06 tonnes of syabu worth RM103.2 million during a series of raids last month.

The 37-year-old man was nabbed at Pangsapuri Polo, Taman Iskandar, at 7.30am in a covert operation carried out by a team from the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID).

Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd confirmed the arrest when contacted by Malay Mail.

He said the investigation was under the jurisdiction of the federal police.

Sources, close to the operation, said the team seized a Honda CR-V sports utility vehicle (SUV) worth about RM120,000 that was driven by the suspect.

"However, there were no drugs or large amounts of cash found on the suspect,” a source told Malay Mail.

Sources also said the suspect was allegedly linked to the crippled syndicate as well as a splinter group that was also busted last month.

Initial investigations revealed that the suspect was attached to the Internal Security and Public Order Department of the Seremban district police in Negri Sembilan.

The suspect, who hails from Sarawak, has served in the police force for the past 10 years.

The case is being investigated under Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measure) 1985.

Sources said investigators are not dismissing the possibility that there may be other policemen or government enforcement agency staff connected with the syndicate.

On March 19, police crippled the international drug ring with the arrest of six local men, aged between 35 and 45, in three separate raids in south Johor.

Police found syabu or crystal methamphetamine concealed in Chinese tea bags and hidden in a container.

The operation was made possible with the cooperation of three agencies, namely the police, the Customs Department and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).