Penang drug ring with lab busted

GEORGE TOWN: After busting one ring with the arrest of four men and two women during an operation in Penang from Sunday to Monday, police are now after more syndicate members involved in drug trafficking.
The joint raid was carried out by the Special Tactical Narcotics Group from Bukit Aman and state Narcotics Department at several premises in Sungai Nibong, George Town, Sungai Dua and Air Itam.
A drug laboratory was busted at a condominium in Sungai Dua.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the syndicate members nabbed were aged between 24 and 43, with some of them working as a bouncers, salesmen, and businessmen.
"Among the items seized were 50.9kg of caffeine which is an additive used in the processing of syabu, 1.29kg of heroin and 760g of heroin base," he said at a press conference in the state police headquarters in Jalan Penang today, adding that the value of the items was around RM200,000.
He said the drugs seized were meant for local distribution.
Noor Rashid said police also seized five luxury cars comprising a BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Honda Accord, Honda Civic and a Harley Davidson superbike, all valued at around RM1.2 million.
"We also managed to recover around RM4.3 million in cash and stock certificates worth RM3.2million."
Noor Rashid added the suspects have been remanded until July 20 for further investigations, adding one of the men caught had previous drug related offences.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.