Latest news with #BukitAmanNarcoticCrimeInvestigationDepartment
The Star
17-05-2025
- The Star
Growing danger on the open Web
KUALA LUMPUR: Social media sites are often used by syndicates to promote and market drug-laced vapes. It is learnt that the purchases are made online and a courier service is the go-to method to deliver the 'special' vapes to customers. 'We have detected that syndicates would resort to using social media to market their banned product. 'However, they are also packaging the drug-laced vapes and pods in a similar way to normal vape products, making it difficult for authorities to identify whether a vape pod or device contains drugs or otherwise,' Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (NCID) acting director Deputy Comm Mat Zani@Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali (pic) told The Star recently. He said there are also vape shops that sell drug-laced vapes to certain customers. 'We believe this is mostly catered to long-term and trusted customers,' he added. In 2023, 17 individuals were detained for selling drug-laced vapes, while last year, five suspects were nabbed, DCP Mat Zani said. 'As of April (this year), we have already detained four individuals for trafficking drug-laced vapes. 'Two of them were detained last month. 'We also seized a litre of vape liquid containing MDMA (ecstasy). The suspects were nabbed in a drug processing lab. 'On top of other drugs, they also produced drug-laced vape liquid,' he said. Underage users of drug-laced vapes are also on the radar of the NCID, DCP Mat Zani said. 'We detained five individuals, who were below 18 years of age last year. 'They were in possession of vape devices and liquid, which contained drugs. 'Between January and March (this year), we detained an underage individual for a similar offence,' he said. The operation against drug-laced vape syndicates has been continuous, DCP Mat Zani said. 'We seized 471.5 litres of vape liquid containing drugs along with 45 vape devices in 2023, followed by 62.68 litres (of drug-laced vape liquid) last year and 1.8 litres so far this year. 'No devices were seized last year and so far this year,' he added. Some 65% of vape liquid and devices seized in 2023 contained MDMA and ADB Butinaca (synthetic cannabinoid compound), he revealed. 'Last year, 26% of the vape liquid seized contained MDMB-4en-Pinaca (indazole-based synthetic cannabinoid),' he said. DCP Mat Zani said the NCID is always gathering actionable intelligence on the processing and selling of drug-laced vapes nationwide. 'Once vital information is obtained, we will detain those involved,' he said. DCP Mat Zani said cooperation with other agencies is vital to curb drug trafficking and abuse involving vapes or electronic cigarettes. 'We are working with other agencies such as the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to track down individuals and syndicates involved in promoting and selling drug-laced vapes on social media,' he said. DCP Mat Zani urged the public to contact the police if they encounter any individual or shop selling drug-laced vapes. 'We also call on schools and institutions of higher learning to report such cases immediately as drug-laced vapes are popular among the younger generation,' he said. Previously, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said state governments could take action by banning the sale of vapes, which are now increasingly linked to the abuse of new synthetic drugs. Ayob Khan said some states had already taken the initiative to ban vape sales, bringing a positive impact. He encouraged other state governments to follow suit while waiting for the Federal Government to draft related laws. 'Some states have made that decision, meaning state governments can also impose bans, because the sale licence is under the jurisdiction of local authorities,' he said.
![[UPDATE] RM82mil in synthetic drugs seized, three arrested](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2Fnhsynthetic_NSTfield_image_socialmedia.var_1745917501.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[UPDATE] RM82mil in synthetic drugs seized, three arrested](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
New Straits Times
29-04-2025
- New Straits Times
[UPDATE] RM82mil in synthetic drugs seized, three arrested
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.
![[UPDATED] Cops bust ganja ring shipping to Europe](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2Fganja_export_ring_1745560153.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
New Straits Times
25-04-2025
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Cops bust ganja ring shipping to Europe
austin@ KUALA LUMPUR: Federal police have crippled a drug ring believed to be responsible for shipping ganja buds to Europe. Acting Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director, Deputy Commissioner Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali, revealed that a series of raids in the Klang Valley led to the arrest of two men, a local aged 34 and a Chinese national aged 38. "We seized 75.51kg of ganja buds, worth at least RM2.61 million," he said in a statement today. The operation began with the first arrest at a coffee shop in Sepang at 5:25am on Wednesday. The second suspect was detained at a house in Kota Warisan, Sepang, around 6:15am. Shortly thereafter, investigators led by the suspects uncovered a rented house in Bukit Changgang, Banting, at 9:35am, where they found 144 packets containing the ganja buds. The total haul was valued at RM2.64 million on the black market and could have been distributed to 151,000 drug users. Police also seized RM25,327 in cash during the raid. "Our investigations suggest that the two suspects are the masterminds behind the smuggling operation. "Intelligence indicates they rented homestays as storage facilities for the drugs before shipping them to Europe," he said, adding that the syndicate has been active since January. Both suspects have no prior criminal records and tested negative for drugs during urine tests. The suspects are facing charges under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction, in addition to a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane. Authorities are also investigating how the Chinese suspect entered Malaysia. Both men have been remanded to assist with further investigations, and police are continuing operations to locate additional members of the syndicate. Anyone with information related to such activities is urged to contact the NCID Hotline at 012-208 7222.
