GEORGE TOWN, Dec 16 — Police busted a local drug syndicate in Penang with the arrest of six individuals, including two women, and seized drugs worth RM3 million in a series of raids on December 6 and 13.

Speaking at a press conference here today, deputy state police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said that on December 6, raids were conducted at five houses in George Town and Butterworth, where the six individuals aged between 26 and 42, were nabbed.

He said drugs seized during the raids comprised 9,822 grammes (gm) of ketamin, 17,050 of Eramin 5 pills, 1,503 gm of ecstasy, 250.64 gm of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), and 3.2 gm of cannabis, worth RM1.34 million.

Mohd Alwi said the further investigations led the police to conduct another raid on a luxury condominium unit in Sungai Nibong on December 13, which was found to be used by the syndicate as the place to store their drug supplies.

He said no arrest was made during the raid, but 55,250 Eramin 5 pills, 382 gm of ketamin, and 50 ecstasy pills worth RM1.639 million were found in the condominium unit.

"Investigations also revealed that the syndicate has been active since early this year and received their supplies from an international drug ring for sale in local markets, especially at entertainment outlets in the state,” he said.

With the arrest of the six individuals, police also seized nine vehicles worth RM755,500, cash of RM26,085, four bank accounts worth RM64,703 and jewellery worth RM800.

All of them have been remanded until December 20 to facilitate further investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. — Bernama