BALIK PULAU, June 10 —  Police have exposed a drug processing laboratory in a luxury condominium unit here after arresting a man in separate raids in Sungai Nibong and Bayan Lepas, near here on Sunday.

Southwest district police chief Supt AA Anbalagan said police arrested a 31-year-old lorry driver in the first raid in Sungai Nibong at 5pm and confiscated packets containing substances believed to be heroin and syabu.

"Acting upon information and surveillance, the suspect was detained while driving a car to sell the drugs. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the police found a packet containing heroin weighing 505 grams (gm) and 15 packets filled with syabu, worth RM11,100,” he said in a press conference here today.

Anbalagan said on interrogation, the suspect led the police to raid the condominium unit in Persiaran Bayan Indah at 9.30pm on the same day and found various drug processing tools and chemicals.

Police also seized various drugs worth RM124,398 from both raids.

The preliminary investigation found that the drug laboratory has been operating in the last three months and was used for packaging and trafficking drugs to the customers.

In the raid at the condominium unit, police found 20.24 kilogrammes of various drugs, caffeine, and drug processing paraphernalia worth RM113,298.

The drugs were meant for distribution in Penang and could feed the drug habit of 23,000, he said, adding the suspect was tested positive for drugs and had previous drug records.

The suspect was remanded for seven days to assist investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Meanwhile, in a separate media conference, police nabbed 15 local men including seven drug addicts aged between 20 and 50 in several raids codenamed Ops Tapis Khas in South Seberang Perai (SPS).

SPS district police chief Supt Lee Chong Chern said police also seized 471.9 gm of syabu and 4.7 g of heroin worth RM24,065 in the two-day operation since June 6 in Nibong Tebal, Sungai Acheh, and Simpang Ampat.

"All the suspects who are working as labourers were remanded seven days beginning June 7,” he added. — Bernama