Cops seize over 2.1 tonnes of drugs from Latin America worth RM82mil
Photo: Low Boon Tat / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have seized over 2.1 tonnes of drugs believed to be from Latin America here.
Bukit Aman narcotics crime investigation department (NCID) acting director Deputy Comm Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali said the drugs were seized on April 24 and 25.
Three local men, aged 27 and 39 were arrested during the first raid on a house in Taman Nadayu, Kajang.
"They were caught packing drugs," he said.
An inspection led to the discovery of 830 packages and 56 sacks of what is believed to be syabu.
Follow-up raids were conducted the following day in Cheras Perdana, with more drugs seized.
In total, 2.165 tonnes worth RM82.14mil were seized.
Investigations showed that the drugs were intended for both local and international markets.
"It is believed the drugs came in via Port Klang and hidden in sacks declared as plastic shards," he said.
Notably, he said, the drugs did not come from the so-called "golden triangle" in South-East Asia but from Latin America instead.
He added that police were cooperating with international partners on the matter, including the United States' Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
MACC seizes Ilham Tower again
Photo: AZMAN GHANI/The Star PETALING JAYA: The Deputy Public Prosecutor's office has given the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) the full legal authorisation to seize Ilham Tower again. MACC said it had since ordered the immediate seizure of the 60-storey skyscraper through its investigating officer after authorisation was given. It said that the seizure will be done under Section 51(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001. 'Through a notice of seizure of immovable property under the section on June 4, the authorisation for seizure was granted pursuant to the powers conferred upon the Public Prosecutor under Section 376(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593). 'This means the Deputy Public Prosecutor is satisfied with the information provided by the MACC related to an offence under Section 4(1) of the AMLATFPUAA 2001 for this case,' it said in a statement on Thursday (June 5). It added that all dealings related to the 274m-tall tower's transfer of ownership would be prohibited with immediate effect. This seizure comes after the tower, owned by the family of former finance minister the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, was originally seized by MACC in December 2023 due to an offence under the MACC Act 2009. This was believed to be part of an anti-money laundering probe that started in late May involving a corporate transaction valued at RM2.3bil (US$500mil) in November 1997 involving public-listed Renong Bhd and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd (UEM), which were both linked with Umno. On May 22, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said that eight investigation papers had been opened into the assets owned by Daim, his family and proxies, which had not been declared to the MACC during its initial 2023 investigation, due to having received new information from external agencies. Then on Wednesday (June 4), the High Court allowed an application by MACC to freeze assets worth £132mil in London that were allegedly linked to Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid, wife of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, and her family.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Cops bust lab producing drug-laced vape liquid, 2 Taiwanese arrested
Bukit Aman NCID acting director Salahuddin Che Ali (centre) said the syndicate used condominiums with complete security to process and package the illicit substances. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Two Taiwanese nationals operating a laboratory processing drug-laced vape liquid in Kuala Lumpur were arrested on Wednesday, say police. Bukit Aman narcotics criminal investigation department (NCID) acting director Mat Zani @ Salahuddin Che Ali said they also seized drugs worth RM3.29 million during a raid on a condominium in Brickfields, Bernama reported. He said in the raid at 10.30pm, police found 20 five-litre plastic containers (jelly cans) and six 0.5-litre plastic bottles containing amphetamine vape liquid. In addition, police also found various types of equipment for processing drug-laced vape liquid, such as a mixer, heating machine, weighing scale, sealing machine, three glass beakers, one plastic funnel, and 95 empty cartridges believed to be for filling the drug-laced vape liquid. 'Initial technical analysis found that this syndicate is believed to be processing vape liquid containing amphetamine (fluoroamphetamine, paramethoxyamphetamine) which has psychoactive and toxic effects similar to the drug ecstasy on its users. 'The adverse effects of consumption include seizures, liver failure, extreme body temperature, psychosis, brain damage, emotional disturbances, extreme addiction, and even sudden death due to heart attack or respiratory failure,' he was quoted as saying during a press conference at the federal police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today. Salahuddin said both suspects, aged 30 and 35, served as chemists and obtained the ingredients for the drug from China. He said that to ensure their drug-laced vape liquid processing activities were not detected, the syndicate used condominiums with complete security to process and package the illicit substances. 'This premise was rented at RM4,100 per month, and it is believed that they change processing locations every three months, bringing in chemists from Taiwan and recruiting local workers to mislead the authorities. 'Both suspects also played a role in guarding the vape liquid processing site and delivering the drugs to customers. They entered our country using a social visit pass and had entered the country twice, at the beginning of this year and early this month,' he said. He stated that the amphetamine drug-laced vape liquid was sold to the local market at RM180 per cartridge and internationally at around RM400 per cartridge. Salahuddin said urine screening tests found both suspects negative for drugs but they were found to have a criminal record in their home country. 'We have checked the criminal records of both suspects through our cooperation with Taiwan's ministry of justice investigation bureau and criminal investigation bureau to trace their past records and assist in the full investigation of this case. 'The results revealed that the first suspect had previously driven under the influence of alcohol and drugs, while the second suspect has a criminal record involving various cases, including murder, drug trafficking, and firearms,' he said, according to Bernama. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Salahuddin said action is also being taken under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, with the seizure of a Honda AFS125 motorcycle belonging to the first suspect, valued at RM7,000.
Rakyat Post
2 days ago
- Rakyat Post
Ex-Astro Employee Faints In Court While Facing 743 Charges Of Data Tampering
Subscribe to our FREE In a dramatic turn of events at the Sessions Court yesterday (4 June), a former employee of television giant Astro collapsed in the dock while being read a whopping 743 charges of data tampering. Nora Idayu Jaafar, who previously served with Astro's Commercial Support Unit, fainted just as the court interpreter was reading out the 30th charge under the Computer Crimes Act 1997. The hearing was taking place before Judge Norma Ismail. Court proceedings came to a pause following the collapse, and the judge adjourned the reading of the remaining 713 charges to 26 June. As for the first 30 charges, Nora Idayu pleaded not guilty, The Star How did she get slapped with more than 700 charges? According to the first 30, Nora Idayu is accused of modifying customer account data in Astro's customer management system – known as AMDOCS CRM – converting 30 standard customer accounts into corporate accounts, granting the users free acccess to content. This allegedly took place at Astro's office at Menara Icon, Jalan Tun Razak. The alterations were deemed unauthorised and fall under Section 5(1) of the Computer Crimes Act 1997, a law that deals with illegal use or modification of data in computer systems. RM100,000 per charge if found guilty If found guilty, she could be looking at up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to RM100,000, or both – per charge. The court has granted her bail set at RM10,000 with one surety. Additional conditions include surrendering her passport until the trial concludes and reporting to the nearest police station once a month. With 713 more charges to go, all eyes will be on the courtroom come June 26. One thing's for sure – this is one of the most jaw-dropping cybercrime cases we've seen in a while. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
