JOHOR BARU, July 20 — The Johor police crippled a drug trafficking syndicate that has been active in the state’s central zone since April, following the seizure of drugs worth RM4.3 million and the arrest of four men recently.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the four suspects, aged between 22 and 30, were arrested in three separate raids in Kluang on Monday between 6.20pm and 9.45pm.

He said that the syndicate members, who are all close friends, rented a two-storey terrace house which was used as a safe house and for repackaging the illicit drugs before distributing them to the local market using various types of vehicles.

"This syndicate mainly repackages drugs into packs of drinks, such as juice and tea, in an attempt to elude their activities from authorities.

"Checks revealed that each pack was sold from as low as RM150 to RM200 mainly at nearby entertainment centres,” he said during a media conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

Also present was Johor deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner M. Kumar and senior officers.

Kamarul Zaman said during the raid, police seized 54.33kg of ecstasy powder, 7,923 Erimin 5 psychotropic pills, 6,564 ecstasy pills, 1.22kg of ketamine and 346g of marijuana with a total worth of more than RM4.3 million.

Based on the type of drugs seized, he said investigators believe that the syndicate concentrated their sales at entertainment centres near Kluang and the central areas of the state.

"We are investigating where the syndicate members obtained their drug supply.

"Investigators are also not ruling out the possibility that the illicit drugs came from outside Johor,” said Kamarul Zaman, adding that the amount of drugs seized could have supplied as many as 202,042 addicts in the open market.

In addition, Kamarul Zaman said police confiscated six vehicles, sedans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) from the syndicate members.

He added that police also seized RM11,000 in cash and jewellery from the suspects during the raid.

"A drug screening of the suspects also found three were positive for ketamine and checks for prior arrests found one suspect having a previous criminal record,” he said.

"All the suspects are now remanded for seven days from yesterday until next Monday for further investigation according to Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said.