KOTA BARU: Police here arrested a man suspected of storing and smuggling over 600kg of "Yaba" pills and heroin worth an estimated RM49.17mil.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin said the seizure of 652.4kg of Yaba pills and 2.6kg of heroin is the biggest by the NCID in Malaysia this year.
He said the 32-year-old jobless man was arrested in a house in Salor, Pasir Mas, on Monday (Oct 7), adding that the suspect, who acted as the runner, is believed to have been active in the syndicate since June.
"Investigations found that the suspect is paid RM100 for every pack (of drugs) delivered to the drug syndicate's members,” he told a special media conference at the Kelantan Police Headquarters here Tuesday (Oct 15).
Khaw said the syndicate's modus operandi was to use rented premises to store the drugs before distributing them to the local market on the East Coast.
According to him, police also confiscated a car and a motorcycle, with the value of both estimated at RM61,000.
"We believe the drug supplies had only been stored for a week in the house, which the suspect has rented since 2022.
"The drugs could be used by 6.78 million addicts and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said, adding that the suspect has been remanded for a week.
Khaw said the suspect tested positive for Benzodiazepines and has two prior drug-related criminal offences.
He also said that further investigations to track down the remaining members of the syndicate are going on and that they have identified several individuals from the syndicate.
"The NCID aims to fight the country's number one scourge and we hope the public will continue to tip us off regarding drug trafficking activities via the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222,” he said.- Bernama
