JOHOR BARU, Nov 14 — The Johor police crippled two drug smuggling syndicates and seized various types of drugs worth RM1.11 million in three raids conducted here and in Kota Tinggi last Nov 9 and 10.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said in the first raid, conducted between 1.50pm and 3pm on Nov 9 in Kota Tinggi, a 39-year-old local man and an Indonesian man, aged 49, were arrested and following their arrest, the police found 14.55 kilogrammes of syabu, worth RM36,392, hidden in a Honda CRV car. 

‘The modus operandi of this syndicate is to smuggle the drug, believed to be obtained from a northern state in the peninsula, to a neighbouring country by sea,” he told a media conference at the Johor police contingent today.

Ayob Khan said the police also seized the car, a Yamaha LC135 motorcycle, RM564 and S$279.

Both the suspects are in remand for seven days from Nov 10 for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

He said the other two raids, conducted in the Johor Bahru district on Nov 10 led to the seizure of RM1.07 million worth of drugs, believed to be for use at private parties and entertainment centres.

The seizure comprised 21.18 kg of ecstasy powder, 78.6 gm ketamine, 1.8 gm syabu, 90 ecstasy pills and 170 erimin 5 pills, he added. 

He said a 23-year-old local man and a married couple, aged 59 and 53 years, were arrested in the raids.

This syndicate operated by renting ’gated and guarded’ apartments to pack the drugs for use at private parties and entertainment outlets, he added.

He said the three suspects were now in remand for 11 days for investigation. — Bernama