JOHOR BARU, May 18 — Johor police have seized more than RM4.5 million worth of crystal methamphetamine (syabu) after the arrest of five suspects in Muar last week.

It is understood that the seized drugs, weighing a total of 125.78kg, were to be smuggled out via sea routes and destined for the Indonesian market.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said 84kg of the drugs worth RM3.02 million were seized in a raid at a rented house in Parit Jawa on May 12 at about 1pm.

Following the seizure, he said three local men and an Indonesian woman, aged between 36 and 49, were arrested.

"Three of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamines and two of them have previous drug-related records.

"Apart from the seizures and arrests, the police also confiscated two vehicles and froze a bank account with a total value of RM72,762.50,” said Ayob Khan during a media conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

He explained that the woman who was arrested is the wife of one of the Malaysian suspects.

"This is not the first time that the suspects (syndicate) have smuggled drugs. The first time they did so was on May 2 and managed to get away with 76kg of drugs.

"Police only managed to arrest the suspects on their second attempt,” said the state’s top cop.

Ayob Khan, who has been actively leading the state’s fight against illicit narcotics, said the drugs are believed to have been obtained from the northern part of the country and placed in a rented house here before being smuggled to Bengkalis in Indonesia by sea.

He said that the remaining seizure of 41.78kg of syabu worth RM1.5 million was the result of a 40-year-old local male suspect being arrested during a  Covid-19 roadblock at Jalan Bakar Batu towards Melaka-Muar on May 14.

"The drugs, some which are also believed would have been smuggled to other neighboring countries, were hidden in a special storage area in the rear section of the car.

"The suspect was arrested and a number of items seized, namely a vehicle and a bank account with a total of RM81,612.94,” said Ayob Khan.

According to Ayob Khan, all the suspects have been remanded for seven days until May 19 and 21 for further investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment which is punishable by whipping, if convicted.