SHAH ALAM, March 11 — Selangor police have crippled two syndicates involved in the distribution of syabu (methamphetamine) and ganja buds weighing more than 200 kilogrammes (kg) with an estimated value of RM14.6 million in several areas in the state earlier this month.

Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said that in the first case, four foreign nationals, including a woman, aged between their 20s and 30s from the European continent, were arrested in three separate operations conducted between March 3 and 5.

Shazeli said the arrests began when a man believed to be a drug mule was detained by a team from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division (NCID) of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) district police headquarters (IPD) together with Malaysia Airports Berhad auxiliary police at one of the airport’s terminals.

He said following the arrest on March 3, police seized one suitcase containing 49 plastic packages filled with dried leaves suspected to be ganja buds, weighing an estimated 27.2 kg, believed to be intended for smuggling overseas.

“Following the arrest, the next day police detained another foreign man believed to be the main mastermind at a house in the Kota Warisan area and seized one suitcase containing 25 plastic packages filled with dried leaves suspected to be ganja buds, weighing an estimated 14.3 kg,” he said at a press conference at the Senior Officers’ Mess of the Selangor contingent police headquarters (IPK) here today.

Further investigations led to the arrest of two foreign nationals, including a woman, on March 5 at a condominium in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, and seized five suitcases containing 136 packages of dried leaves believed to be ganja buds, weighing an estimated 74.8 kg.

“All the individuals entered Malaysia between the end of December last year and the middle of last month using tourist passes. They are also believed to be part of the same syndicate network,” he said.

Shazeli said the value of the drug seizure in the case, weighing 116.3 kg, was estimated at RM9.35 million and was believed to be intended for the overseas market.

In a separate case, a team of police officers from the Selangor NCID and the Gombak IPD’s NCID arrested two men, including a foreign national, in the Gombak area on March 3.

“Police also seized five canvas bags containing 64 plastic packages labelled ‘Daguanyin’, believed to contain syabu weighing an estimated 105.1 kg, which were found in the rear compartment of a van used by the suspects,” he said.

“The value of the drugs seized in this case is RM5.25 million. The syndicate is believed to have been active for the past month, and the drugs were suspected to be intended for distribution around the Klang Valley.

Shazeli said checks found that the 34-year-old local suspect worked as a delivery driver for a courier company, while the 47-year-old foreign national was employed at a temple in the Batu Caves area.

All suspects linked to the two syndicates have been remanded, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. — Bernama