GEORGE TOWN, May 27 — The police seized an assortment of drugs worth RM4.6 million when they uncovered a drug-processing laboratory and storage facility in two raids here on Friday and Saturday.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said following a tip-off and intelligence information, the team arrested a 38-year-old man at the junction of Jalan Changkat Sungai Ara, near here, at about 5.30pm.

"The man believed to be involved in drug processing and distribution activities was detained in a Honda HRV, initial inspection did not find any drugs with him.

"His arrest led police to a three-storey terraced house in the upscale residential area of Taman Hijauan Setia, in Sungai Ara, which was being used as a heroin processing lab,” he told a press conference at the Penang police contingent headquarters here today.

The police seized 42 packages of heroin weighing 13,839 grammes (gm), 376 gm of heroin base, caffeine (93,874 gm), and chemicals as well as drug-processing paraphernalia.

On Saturday, the police raided an apartment unit in Batu Uban, here and seized 45 packages of syabu weighing 46,191 gm, 91 pieces of compressed heroin base (33,764 gm), caffeine (24,147 gm), and eight bottles of liquid suspected to be chemicals.

The police also confiscated six pistols of various types and 100 bullets stored in a black bag inside a wardrobe.

Khaw said the man is suspected to have operated alone, but the police believe the suspect has accomplices who assist him in processing and distributing drugs, and efforts to track down the syndicate’s network are actively underway.

He added that the suspect also has the expertise to process drugs himself by cooking them in the rented terraced house in Sungai Ara before storing the drugs in the rented apartment unit in Batu Uban.

Following the suspect’s arrest, the police seized various vehicles worth RM424,000, including a Honda HRV, Perodua Myvi, Toyota Alphard, and Volkswagen Arteon, as well as two motorcycles, a BMW, and a Yamaha XMAX.

"He also owns a terraced house in Rawang, Selangor, and a condominium unit registered under his wife’s name, each worth RM550,000. Based on investigations, his wife was unaware of the illegal activities conducted by the suspect,” he said, adding that the value of drug seizures and confiscations amounted to RM5.03 million.

The unemployed man is being remanded until June 1, he added. — Bernama