GEORGE TOWN, Mar 15 — The Penang police believed they have busted a drug syndicate with the arrest of two men, including a Bangladeshi, and seizure of 144.7 kilogrammes of syabu, worth RM5.2 million, in raids conducted last Friday and Saturday.

Penang police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan said the police uncovered the syndicate following the arrest of a 54-year-old man unemployed man, who was initially spotted driving at Jalan Batu Feringghi near here, at 6.30pm last Friday.

"The suspect sped away to the beach area after realising the presence of the police and then abandoned the car. However, the police managed to arrest him, who is believed to be the mastermind of the syndicate.

"Police searched the Mercedes Benz car driven by the suspect and found 15 packets of syabu weighing 15 kg and worth RM540,000, a pistol, a magazine with 14 bullets and a box containing 39 rounds of live ammunition,” he told a media conference here today.

Penang police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan (right) during a press conference in George Town February 22, 2021.

Following the arrest of the suspect, he said, the police also seized seven handphones and two Volkswagen car before they raided a terrace house in Teluk Bahang, at 5pm last Saturday, where the second suspect, who is a 35-year-old Bangladeshi man, was arrested.

Sahabudin said the police found 129.7 kg of syabu, believed to be worth RM4.6 million, in the house, believed to be used as a store.

He said the police also seized two cars, a Ford Ranger and Toyota Harrier, as well as a Yamaha motorcycle.

Initial investigation found that the syndicate, which had an international drug distribution network, obtained its drug supply from Thailand, and the contraband kept at the house before it is smuggled to Indonesia by sea, he added.

He said the syndicate was believed to carry out its dealings at sea to avoid being detected by the authorities.

"The police are tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate and are also working with the Indonesian police to track down its network in the republic,” he added.

He said both the suspects were in remand for seven days to assist police investigation for drug trafficking and possession of firearms. — Bernama