05-05-2025
Cops seize RM25mil in drugs bound for Aussie market
Bukit Aman NCID acting director Mat Zani @ Salahuddin Che Ali (fourth from left) and his senior officers with the seized methamphetamines and heroin base. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : Police have busted the largest international drug trafficking syndicate on the east coast this year, seizing about 590kg of methamphetamine and heroin base worth RM25 million in two raids around Setiu, Terengganu.
Bukit Aman narcotics criminal investigation department (NCID) acting director Mat Zani @ Salahuddin Che Ali said the drugs were brought in via the Golden Triangle from Vietnam, and entered Terengganu through Kelantan and Terengganu waters.
They were repackaged in Setiu before being prepared for shipment to the Australian market.
Mat Zani said the first raid took place on the bank of Sungai Setiu at 9pm on April 23, leading to the arrest of a 32-year-old man from Selangor who was unloading 29 bags from a boat.
'An inspection of the bags revealed 470 plastic packages, suspected to contain 479.27kg of methamphetamine and 297 blocks of heroin base, weighing 109.89kg.
'The second raid, about 500m from the first location on the shore of Pulau Tok Bilal at 10pm, led to the arrest of a 39-year-old Terengganu man in a fibreglass boat with a backpack containing 1.02kg of methamphetamine,' Bernama quoted him as saying today.
He said the syndicate, which has been active since March, smuggled the drugs on rented boats under the guise of fishing trip packages.
'The drugs would then be transferred to a yacht in the waters off Terengganu, before being sent to Australia. The seized drugs could have been used by 2.95 million addicts,' he said.
Mat Zani said the police investigation found both suspects, who were paid RM50,000 each, are from the same syndicate and have criminal records for drug-related offences.
Police also seized three vehicles belonging to the suspects as well as jewellery and RM1,631 in cash.
The suspects have been remanded until May 7 to assist in the investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking.
He said the drug bust was the result of collaboration between the Terengganu and Kelantan NCIDs, as well as marine police, following a month-long surveillance.
