KUALA LUMPUR: Some 1.3 tonnes of ketum leaves along with 50 litres of codeine liquid were seized following a raid on a shop house in Taman Yew Lai here.
Police also detained 11 men, believed to be workers for the ketum trafficking syndicate.
Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood said police personnel from the motorcycle patrol unit (URB) raided the premises at about 8.50pm last Friday (Nov 15).
"We seized 1.3 tonnes of ketum leaves and 50 litres of codeine liquid worth RM63,800.
"We believe the shop house was used as storage for the supply of ketum leaves and codeine liquid," he told a press conference at the Brickfields police headquarters on Monday (Nov 18).
Several other items were seized, including a lorry and a set of keys, he said.
"One of the suspects detained was the syndicate's transporter while the remaining suspects were the syndicate members assigned to unload the items from the lorry.
"We believe the ketum leaves and codine were supplied from a neighbouring country via a state in the northern peninsula.
"The transporter would make deliveries to the Klang Valley once a week.
"The ketum and codine seized could have been supplied to 2,000 users," he said.
Those detained have been remanded until Nov 22, he said.
"All of them tested negative for drugs while six of them had prior criminal records," he added.
ACP Ku Mashariman said the police are still on the hunt for the syndicate's mastermind and other remnants.
"We will investigate the case further until the mastermind and other syndicate members are apprehended.
"We urge those with information on any drug related activity to contact Brickfields police at 03-22979222 ext 553 or any nearest police station," he said.
