JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 13 — Police have busted an illicit drug trafficking syndicate following the arrest of five men and seizure of various types of narcotics worth RM1.45 million during a raid in a residential house in Bukit Indah, Iskandar Puteri near here last Friday.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the syndicate, which was active since last August, was known to operate from a terrace house owned by one of the suspects.

“Police then raided the house and arrested five local men, aged 43 to 53, and also seized various types of illicit drugs.

“The seized narcotics included syabu (crystal methamphetamine), MDMA (ecstasy component), ecstasy pills and marijuana with a total weight of 21.75 kilogrammes worth RM1.45 million.

“Initial investigation revealed that the syndicate obtained its drug supplies from the Klang Valley before marketing it domestically and also abroad,” he told reporters at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

Ab Rahaman, who was accompanied by senior police officers, said that the syndicate’s modus operandi was to use the residential house as a storage point before distributing the drugs to users.

He said checks revealed that the single-storey terrace house was occupied by the syndicate’s leader and another suspect.

Ab Rahaman said the raiding team also confiscated several cars belonging to the suspects, including a Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Proton X70 sports utility vehicle (SUV).

In addition, he said police found cash consisting of RM270,150 and a gold ring, bringing the total value with vehicles to RM616,010.

Checks later revealed that four of the five suspects had previous criminal records related to drugs, vehicle theft, murder and gambling.

All four also tested positive for methamphetamine abuse during a drug screening test.

The suspects have since been remanded from January 10 to 16 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.