PENANG, 3 Sept 2008: Police have uncovered the largest drug processing syndicate activity in Penang with the arrest of four men during a raid in Machang Bubok, Seberang Perai Tengah, yesterday.
State Deputy Chief Police Officer Datuk Salleh Mat Rasid said the men in their 30s were nabbed at 4.10pm at a village house which had been turned into a drug processing laboratory by the syndicate.
"During the raid mounted by the Penang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department squad, police found various types of drug and raw material worth RM250,000 in the house," he told a press conference here today.
Present was Penang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department Head Supt S Batumalai.
Salleh said that among the drugs seized were 892g of syabu, 2.5g of ganja, 38 erimin 5 pills, 31 ecstasy pills and 16 yaba pills. The other items included various types of phorous acid used in producing drugs.
"Police also confiscated various drug processing equipment including glass bottles, aluminium sheets and a weighing tool in a room which had been turned into a drug laboratory in the house. We are also investigating whether the drugs were to be marketed in the state or other states," he said.
Salleh said that during the raid, police also seized jewellery, a car and motorcycle and cash worth RM2,980.
He said the raid was conducted following a week of surveillance and police believed the syndicate had used the house in the village to avoid detection by the police.
"Preliminary investigations found one of the men detained was the houseowner while two of them had previous convictions and drug records," he said.
He said all of them were remanded for seven days until 9 Sept to assist investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – Bernama
