Big haul: Comm Hamzah (third from right) and Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin (second from left) showing the seized ganja in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
Penang police seize 100kg of ganja worth RM309,000
GEORGE TOWN: Police have crippled a major drug pipeline capable of feeding the habits of more than 200,000 addicts with the seizure of almost 100kg of ganja worth RM309,000.
Penang police chief Comm Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said following a tip-off, a state narcotics team and its George Town counterparts stopped a 46-year-old motorcyclist at a parking area at about 1pm last Friday.
“The team inspected the machine and found two compressed blocks of ganja, weighing close to 2kg.
“The suspect then led police to a car nearby where a similar substance in 98 compressed blocks, weighing 97.9kg, was seized.
“The car was used to store drugs meant for the local market,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Comm Hamzah said police also seized another car registered under the suspect’s sibling under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.
“Investigations showed the suspect has been active since last month.
“He also tested positive for amphetamine and ganja,” he said, adding that background checks also revealed the suspect has 12 prior criminal and drug-related records.
Comm Hamzah added that the suspect has been remanded for a week to assist investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries a death sentence or life imprisonment and a minimum of 12 strokes of the rotan.
“We are also intensifying our efforts against drug distribution activities by collaborating with other agencies and sharing of information to combat the menace effectively,” he said.
Those with any information regarding drug abuse or drug-related activities can call the hotline at 012-208 7222.
In KUANTAN, the Pahang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department arrested a man and seized 56.22kg of marijuana worth an estimated RM173,600, marking this year’s largest drug bust in the state so far.
Pahang police acting chief Deputy Comm Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said the 39-year-old man, believed to be a major drug trafficker, was arrested at Lorong Seri Mahkota Permai last Saturday at around 1.30pm following a two-month surveillance operation.
He said 54 compressed packages of greenish-dried marijuana leaves were found in a car, where the man was suspected to be waiting for customers, Bernama reported.
“The suspect operated independently, sourcing the drugs from neighbouring countries and distributing them in Pahang for nearly a year.
“This is the largest seizure in the state for the first six months of this year.
“With the arrest of this suspect, Pahang NCID has successfully dismantled the distribution network of marijuana in Kuantan,” DCP Noor Hisam told a press conference at the Pahang police headquarters here yesterday.
The suspect has 13 previous criminal offences related to drugs.
He also tested positive for methamphetamine and is currently remanded for seven days to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
