KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Johor police said they have crippled a crime ring suspected of smuggling drugs to Indonesia following several arrests throughout the state.
Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay 14 Malaysians were arrested in nine raids executed in the districts of Muar, Kempas, Johor Bahru Utara and Seri Alam between June 19 and June 20.
He credited the arrests to intelligence developed by the state’s marine police after they detected two suspicious individuals on a fishing boat near the waters off Muar.
Among those detained were also four family members, aged 20 to 50, said Ayob.
In one of the raids, the police seized 42,805 kg of syabu, 51,703 ecstasy pills (20.05 kg), and 9,500 Erimin 5 pills (2.713 kg).
In another raid, police seized 197.61g of syabu, 5.6g of heroin and 20 Erimin 5 pills.
The police also seized a boat, three cars and RM10,795 in cash.
Ayob said all the drugs seized have a street value of RM3.426 million while assets were believed to be worth RM85,795.
Five of those arrested to have existing criminal records for drug offences while eight tested positive for methamphetamine use.
All the suspects have been remanded for seven days to assist in the investigations under Section 39B, Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Ayob also said from January 1 to June 13, the state Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) had detained 8,235 individuals for various drug offences and seized a total of 965.56 kg of drugs worth RM21.01 million and assets worth RM7.82 million.
