Cover image via New Straits Times
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In a significant blow to international drug trafficking, the Federal Police Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) has dismantled a major methamphetamine syndicate operating in Penang
During a coordinated two-day operation on 20 and 21 December, Bukit Aman seized about 1.2 tonnes of drugs with an estimated street value of RM38 million.
NCID director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan revealed that the haul could supply nearly six million users.
A key discovery during the raids was a large-scale processing laboratory hidden in a durian orchard along Jalan Teluk Bahang
To evade detection, the syndicate rented the orchard for RM80,000 a year and fortified it with three layers of doors and a comprehensive CCTV surveillance system.
This location, along with an industrial premises in Taman Windmill, served as the primary hubs for drug production, storage, and repackaging. Police believe the lab could produce 20kg of methamphetamine per cycle.
The operation began at a condominium along Jalan Gurdwara in George Town, where police detained three foreign men, aged between 32 and 38, believed to be trained chemists
During the raid, a 27-year-old local man, suspected of being the syndicate's logistics coordinator, attempted to flee by jumping from the fifth floor and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial screenings showed that the three foreign suspects tested positive for methamphetamine, and two had prior drug offences in their home countries.
The syndicate reportedly used Malaysia as a hub for both local and international markets, employing highly sophisticated methods to avoid detection.
Investigations revealed that at least seven parcels had already been shipped to Australia and Hong Kong via international couriers
In a bid to bypass customs, the traffickers allegedly dissolved the drugs into fabric or canvas sheets, which the recipients would then extract upon arrival.
Police believe the precursor chemicals and lab equipment were smuggled into Malaysia from abroad.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment
The suspects have been remanded until 27 December. In addition to the narcotics, authorities have initiated forfeiture proceedings for assets valued at RM181,000, including four vehicles.
Investigations continue as police track down other individuals linked to the syndicate, including those who facilitated the rental of the various premises.
