THREE HELD, RM1.6 MLN WORTH OF DRUGS SEIZED IN PENANG RAIDS

GEORGE TOWN, March 11 (Bernama) -- Police arrested three people, including a couple, and seized drugs worth nearly RM1.6 million in several raids across Penang.

Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the suspects, two men and a woman aged 22 to 28, were detained during operations on Monday and Tuesday following several weeks of intelligence gathering.

“In the first raid at noon on Monday at a car park here, police arrested a man and discovered 120 packets of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) weighing 3,024 grammes (g) inside a vehicle.

“The police then conducted a second raid at the same location, detaining a couple. A check of a motorcycle led to the discovery of 119 packets of MDMA powder weighing 2,213g," he said in a statement today.

Azizee said further interrogations led to a third raid at a house in Seberang Perai Utara, where police seized 252 packets of MDMA powder (5,220g), 18 packets of ketamine weighing 515g, and 70 Erimin 5 pills weighing 19g.

He said initial investigations found that all three unemployed suspects acted as runners for the syndicate, believed to have been active since December, adding that the drugs seized could have supplied 30,000 addicts. 

Police also seized assets worth RM224,544 under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988. The items included a Honda Civic valued at RM130,000, a Perodua Myvi valued at RM44,000, a Toyota Vios valued at RM36,000, jewellery valued at RM9,044, and RM5,500 in cash.

All three suspects were remanded for seven days until March 16 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA