JOHOR BARU, Sept 24 — The police have detained 17 people, including a married couple, believed to be members of a drug syndicate, and seized an assortment of drugs worth RM1.64 million in separate raids on Friday and yesterday.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said all 12 men and five women, including two foreigners, aged between 17 and 55, were arrested by a team of policemen from the Johor Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) between 3pm (September 22) and 9am (September 23).

"This syndicate, believed to be active since July, used rented gated and guarded houses to store the drugs before they were distributed to the local market,” he told a press conference at the Johor Police Contingent headquarters here today.

Police also seized seven cars, jewellery worth RM69,200, as well as RM26,450 and SGUS$12,250 cash, he said.

He added that 10 of the suspects were tested positive for drugs and nine of them had drug-related criminal records.

He said all the suspects were being remanded up to September 27. — Bernama