Wednesday March 19, 2008

Three drug rackets busted

JOHOR BARU: Police have busted three drug trafficking syndicates distributing syabu, heroin, and katemine in the state with the arrest of several members, including a Singaporean.

Police also seized drugs worth about RM33,500 in several raids.

The first arrest was made after a team of policemen from the Johor Baru (South) police district headquarters raided a house in Taman Sentosa here about 4.30pm on March 13.

They arrested a 52-year-old Singaporean man and recovered about 98g of heroin.

In the second raid on Monday, police from the state Narcotics unit raided a house in Kampung Kangkar Tebrau at 11.15am and seized 71g of heroin. A 31-year-old man was also arrested.

The same team then raided a drug-distributing centre in Taman Mount Austin at 12.30pm and arrested two men and a woman aged between 36 and 39. About 65g of heroin, 80g of syabu, 80g of ketamine and 16 ecstasy pills were seized.

Police then extended their operations to Mersing and arrested seven men in their 30s. They seized 6g of syabu and 15.6g of heroin in the raid at Taman Seri Mersing.

However, the drug traffickers in Mersing were not part of a syndicate as the group was acting alone.

Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said all those arrested were being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 152 for trafficking.

“We believe all the drugs are for the local market.

“In the same period, we also arrested 60 suspects for drug possessions and 172 drug addicts state wide,” he said.

DCP Mohd Mokhtar said arrests and seizures would not be possible without information supplied by members of the public.

He urged anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999 or the nearest police station.

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