Cops bust syndicate dealing drugs via WeChat, seize nearly RM3mil worth of narcotics

Cops bust syndicate dealing drugs via WeChat, seize nearly RM3mil worth of narcotics

JOHOR BAHRU: Police have crippled a drug trafficking syndicate with the arrest of five people and the seizure of various drugs estimated to be nearly RM3 million in street value in an operation here on June 19.

Johor police chief M Kumar said the operation, led by the state narcotics crime investigation department (NCID), involved three separate raids carried out between noon and 9pm that day.

Three local men and two Vietnamese women, aged between 29 and 46, were nabbed.

“All five tested positive for methamphetamine. Background checks revealed that three of them had prior criminal records, including for drug-related offences,” he told a press conference today.

Kumar said the syndicate was believed to have used two apartment units and a gated-and-guarded terrace house as storage and repackaging sites, from which it distributed the drugs to the local market.

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The syndicate was believed to have communicated directly with buyers via WeChat and placed the drugs at drop-off points such as roadside areas, drains or rubbish bins.

“All payments were made online, with no physical contact between the dealers and buyers,” he said, adding that one of the local men arrested was believed to be the syndicate’s mastermind.

During the operation, police seized 16,865g of ecstasy powder with a street value of RM2,816,455; 104g of ketamine with a street value of RM20,800; 548g (1,950 tablets) of Erimin 5 with a street value of RM54,000; 375g (1,250 tablets) of ecstasy pills with a street value of RM62,625; and 7g (35 tablets) of yaba pills with a street value of RM525. They are estimated to be worth a total of RM2,954,405.

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“These drugs could have supplied up to 59,971 addicts. We also seized various tools used for processing and packaging the drugs.”

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In addition, five vehicles of various makes worth RM228,600, RM9,100 in cash, and jewellery valued at RM18,901 were seized, bringing the total assets seized to RM256,601.

“The total value of drugs and property seized in this operation is RM3,211,006,” he said.

Kumar said the suspects has been remanded until July 3.

The two Vietnamese women are also being investigated for lacking valid travel documents.

Meanwhile, he said the Johor NCID had arrested 12,835 individuals for drug offences, and seized 1.08 tonnes of drugs and 5,816.56 litres of suspected drug substances amounting to RM106.97 million during the first half of this year.

“Drug syndicate-related assets worth RM9.23 million were seized during that period as well,” he added.

Johor police urged the public to continue providing information on drug trafficking activities via the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222.