Marine police arrest two, seize 8kg of syabu

JOHOR BARU: Marine police have crippled a transnational drug syndicate in waters off Pontian with the arrest of two men in a boat and the seizure of 8kg of syabu, with a street value of RM1.2 million, on Tuesday.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said it is the first of its kind in Johor.
He told a press conference at state police headquarters here today that four marine policemen involved in "Ops Gelora" spotted a 15-hp motor boat some 2km from Pontian beach.
A local man, 23, and his brother-in-law, an Indonesian, 35, were in the boat. When the marine police approached the boat they found some 8kg syabu in plastic bags in it.
He said both men were pub workers and not fishermen. Initial investigations showed they planned to transfer the drugs to a third party which maybe from a neighbouring country, he added.
He said this is the first case of drugs being seized at sea and may involve a transborder crime syndicate. Police will investigate the matter further, he added.
Marine police Region Two deputy commander Supt Shaari Arifin was also present at the press conference.