KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — The Royal Malaysia Police have dismantled a cannabis and cannabis buds distribution syndicate worth RM13.68 million targeting both domestic and international markets, with the arrest of seven individuals in two Op Conops raids around Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (April 12).
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the suspects comprised two local men and three local women, as well as one foreign man and one foreign woman aged between 28 and 43.
“Cannabis buds weighing 170.74kg and cannabis weighing 7.04 kg were seized, with a total estimated value of RM13.68 million.
“The syndicate is believed to have been active since December last year, using condominium units in the Klang Valley as storage and packaging locations before distribution to local and international markets,” he said during a media conference today.
The police found that the syndicate used e-hailing services and courier companies for the local market, while the ‘drug mule baggage’ modus operandi was employed to smuggle the illicit substances abroad.
Hussein added that the first raid carried out at a parking area and a condominium unit in Putrajaya led to the arrest of four suspects and the discovery of 168 packages containing cannabis buds and two packages of cannabis.
Following that, the police raided a terrace house in Setapak and arrested three more suspects along with 33 packages believed to contain cannabis weighing 3.35kg and one package of cannabis buds.
Preliminary urine screening tests found four of the suspects positive for various types of drugs, while five suspects had between two and 20 prior records involving criminal and drug-related offences.
Of the total arrests, five suspects have been remanded for seven days, from April 13 to April 19, to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
He said Op Conops was carried out following the success of Op Langka, which was conducted to combat drug abuse activities in Langkawi, Kuala Kedah, and Perlis from Thursday (April 9) to Sunday.
During that operation, 191 individuals were arrested across 231 raids.
