[UPDATE] RM82mil in synthetic drugs seized, three arrested

New Straits Times

29-04-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Over two tonnes of synthetic drugs smuggled in from a Latin American country worth RM82.14million has been seized following a string of raids conducted by federal police.
Three relatives who are believed to have developed a link to a drug supplier based out of the Latin American country have also been arrested.
Acting Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Deputy Commissioner Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali said the seizures and arrests were made following a series of raids last week.
"We conducted a series of raids at Kajang and Cheras in Selangor on April 24 and April 25 following three weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering on the group.
"During our first raid on a three storey house at Taman Nadayu Kajang, we caught the three suspects, aged 27, 38, and 39, red handed packaging drugs at around 4.30pm on April 24," he told reporters at Bukit Aman today.
He said further checks also revealed 830 packets of methamphetamines, 56 sacksas well as a plastic basin also containing the same drug.
"We also seized various equipment used to pack the drugs including two vacuum compressor machines.
"Following the initial arrest, we conducted a followup raid at around 1.15am the next day at an apartment at Cheras Perdana and seized 69 plastic packets of ketamine and three packets of methamphetamines," he said adding that another raid was conducted at around 1.50am on the same day where they seized 81 packets containing lumps of ecstasy and 26 packets of ketamine.
Mat Zani said in total, they seized 2.16 tonnes of drugs comprising of 1.98 tonnes of methamphetamines, 97kg of ketamine and 82kg of ecstasy worth RM82.14 million.
"Based on our checks, the three suspects received their supply from a Latin American country.
"We found documents revealing that the drugs were smuggled in a shipping container which was declared to be carrying plastic flakes," he said adding that police were now checking how the suspects developed a link to the supplier based in the Latin American country.
He said they were now working to identify remnant members of the syndicate believed to be still at large.
"We believe the suspects planned on distributing the drugs here as well as Japan and South Korea.
"Based on our checks one kilogramme of methamphetamine is worth RM400,000 in those two countries," he said adding that the entire seizure could have supplied 10.5million drug users if it had made it to the streets.
Mat Zani said investigations revealed the three suspects were related through marriage and two of them had criminal and drug records.
"This is the first time, we have intercepted methamphetamine, ecstasy and ketamine that came from the Latin Americas. Usually, these syndicates would get their supply from the golden triangle because the cost to smuggle it in was believed to be cheaper.
"Further investigations are underway to determine why the syndicate chose to get their supply from the Latin American country. It is possible that this was a way for a Latin American drug cartel to test the market here," he said adding thay they would work together with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to probe the Latin American connection.
Those with information on drug activities should contact the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222.