JOHOR BAHRU, JULY 22 — Police have busted a drug trafficking syndicate after arresting eight men, including a teenager, and seizing methamphetamine worth RM3.04 million in an operation in the city on July 18.
Johor Police Chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the suspects, consisting of seven local men and one foreigner aged 16 to 78, were arrested by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division of the Johor Bahru South District Police Headquarters at about 9pm.
“The four suspects involved are believed to be acting as runners and transporters as well as senior figures who manage the syndicate’s operations.”
“The teenager acted as a transporter and was identified as having been neglected by his family and had not attended school since January last year,” he said at a press conference at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters, here today.
He said three other local men, including the syndicate leader, who is in his 50s, were also detained in the hotel.
Ab Rahaman said the syndicate was believed to be active last May and used vehicles as drug storage depots before distributing them to the local market.
“Three of them tested positive for methamphetamine while four suspects had criminal records,” he said.
He said all suspects were remanded for seven days starting July 19 and the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Ab Rahaman also reminded parents to exercise their responsibilities and control their children so that they do not get involved in crime or drug abuse.
— BERNAMA
