4 arrested, RM3.72mil worth of ganja seized in Bukit Mertajam raids
GEORGE TOWN : Penang police arrested four men, including a Vietnamese national, and seized 112.1kg of ganja worth RM3.72 million in two raids in Bukit Mertajam this week.
Acting Penang police chief Alwi Zainal Abidin said a team from the state narcotics criminal investigation department launched an operation from 10am on Tuesday until 3am yesterday, resulting in the arrest of the four men aged between 31 and 39.
'In the first raid, police arrested two men in a hotel room and another man in the hotel lobby who was acting as a transporter.
'An inspection uncovered a canvas bag containing 9,232g of ganja and 4,238g of ganja buds,' he said in a press conference at the Penang contingent police headquarters today.
Following interrogation and the gathering of intelligence, police also arrested the Vietnamese man in Seberang Jaya and brought him to a nearby homestay, which was used by the syndicate as a drug storage facility for smuggling and distribution.
Alwi said during the inspection of the homestay, police seized 105 packages of ganja buds weighing 97.7kg. Investigations revealed that the syndicate had been renting the condominium-type unit since last week for RM2,800 a month.
Investigations also revealed that the syndicate had sourced its supply of ganja buds from international drug trafficking networks in neighbouring countries, smuggling them into Malaysia through land routes for distribution in Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
Alwi said the man acting as a transporter was paid between RM3,000 and RM4,000 for each delivery, and was believed to have completed two trips before being arrested.
'Intelligence indicates that the syndicate had been active since last March. We are now tracking down the mastermind and other members of the network, who are believed to still be in the state,' he added.
Police also seized RM1,300 in cash, and three vehicles – a Toyota Alphard, a Honda City, and a Yamaha Y16ZR motorcycle – with a total estimated value of RM199,300. The drugs seized are believed to be enough to supply approximately 230,000 addicts.
'The three local men tested positive for drugs and have records of between seven and 13 criminal and drug offences. Some were only recently released from prison for similar offences,' he said.
All four suspects have been remanded for seven days until July 29 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
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