GEORGE TOWN, Jan 16 — The police have crippled a drug trafficking syndicate with the arrest of a married couple and a third person, as well as the seizure of 451 kilogrammes of marijuana worth RM1.13 million in two raids in Penaga, Kepala Batas, near here last Friday (Jan 13).

Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said acting on information and intelligence, a police team from the state’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) conducted a raid on a house in Jalan Bendahara, Penaga at 7.30pm.

He said a former policeman, who was on a motorcycle in front of the house was arrested after the police found 10 compressed pieces of cannabis, weighing 10.2 kg worth RM25,000, with him.

"The police then carried out a search in the house and arrested the man’s wife, who is a factory worker, after finding 443 pieces of cannabis weighing 441 kg worth RM1.1 million at the premises,” he told a press conference here today.

Following the arrest of the couple, both aged 33, Mohd Shuhaily said the police raided another house, also in Penaga area, and arrested a 42-year-old man businessman, as well as seized RM37,000 from him.

During the raid, the police also seized three cars and two motorcycles.

The businessman is believed to be the mastermind of the syndicate, which is believed to obtain its drug supply from international rings in a neighbouring country and smuggled into the country by sea route, he added.

He said the former policeman, who tested positive for drugs, was sacked from the police force in 2018 for a drug offence.

All three suspects are in remand until Jan 20 for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. — Bernama