KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Police have smashed a drug smuggling and trafficking syndicate with the seizure of various drugs weighing 696 kilogrammes (kg) worth RM25.35 million in raids in Selangor and Kedah yesterday and early this morning.

Bukit Aman Narcotics CID director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said in the first raid around Selangor at 2.30am yesterday, police confiscated 404.3 kg of syabu, heroin (7.7 kg) and ecstasy pills (35.3 kg) estimated to be worth RM16.4 million.

"Besides that, the police arrested a 40-year-old man who is believed to be involved in drug smuggling and trafficking activities for the international and local markets,” he said at a news conference in Bukit Aman here today.

Meanwhile, in raids conducted earlier this morning in Kedah and Selangor, Ayob Khan said they arrested three men and a woman aged between 25 and 39 who were believed to be involved in drug smuggling and trafficking for the local market.

He said in the raid, the police seized 248.7 kg of syabu estimated to be worth RM8.95 million.

Commenting further, Ayob Khan said the syndicate had been active since the end of 2021 and was believed to have obtained drug supplies from locations known as the "Golden Triangle” (Thailand, Laos and Myanmar) before selling them to the Indonesian market.

"The mode of operation used by the syndicate is to make residential premises as a place to store drugs before being smuggled to neighbouring countries for the international and local markets,” he said.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act and the suspect was remanded for seven days starting yesterday to assist in the investigation.

"Action was also taken under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988 where police have so far confiscated the syndicate’s assets estimated to be worth RM360,000, namely a Toyota Fortuner, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Triton and Ford Ranger,” he said.

Ayob Khan stressed that police would continue the investigation to track down the remaining members of the syndicate to be brought to justice and hoped that the community would continue to channel information related to drug trafficking activities that took place in the community. — Bernama