KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — Police have continued their seizures of illegal drugs hidden in packets of Chinese tea, this time confiscating RM1.56 million worth of syabu intended for East Malaysia, following raids in Kajang, Selangor on Monday.
Federal Narcotics Crime Investigations Department director Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said investigators believed they have crippled a local drug distribution syndicate through the arrest of four local suspects aged between 23 and 52 in two separate raids.
“During the first raids, three suspects were detained and we managed to seize 31.11kg of syabu stuffed inside 30 Chinese tea packets stored inside an apartment located in Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang.
“Following the initial arrest, we picked up the fourth suspect at a Rest and Service Areas near Tanjung Malim on the same day,” he said at a press conference today.
He said the syndicate had imported the drugs from neighbouring countries before repackaging it to be trafficked locally in Sabah and Sarawak.
Mohmad said the arrests were pursuant to another major syabu seizure worth RM5.6 million by the Customs Department, which took place at the Sandakan Airport in February this year.
In the seizure that went viral on social media, Customs official detained five suspects aged between 19 and 26 who tried to flee after a baggage scan at the airport revealed 102kg of syabu packages stashed inside their luggage following their arrival from KLIA2.
“Investigations revealed this syndicate used local drug mules and courier services to distribute their drugs to East Malaysia.
“The latest seizure of syabu could supply at least 130,000 drug users,” he said.
He also said police have arrested a total of 93,622 individuals for drug related offences since January until July 26.
During the same period, syabu remained the biggest seizure to date at 1,567kg followed by ganja at 1,317kg with a total drug seizure worth RM122.7 million.
