Ketamine worth RM12.7m seized in largest drug bust (Updated)

SEPANG: The Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation division (NCID) division made its largest drugs bust at the KLIA cargo complex this year, with the seizure of a whopping 254kg of ketamine worth an estimated RM12.7 million, recently.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said the raid conducted by the Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (STING) at the klia2 airside on Oct 19 at 5.30pm discovered six boxes containing 248 packages of Chinese tea containing ketamine.
"The successful raid was due to our current cooperation with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau Taiwan (MJIB) which has been established since 2012.
"The seized consignment which was declared as garments was headed for Taipei from klia2," he told reporters at the KLIA police station, today.
Mohmad also announced the seizure of 30.5kg of heroin hidden in 90 thermos flasks on Sept 27.
The consignment was also headed for Taipei when the raid was conducted.
"Both cases are believed to be linked to the same syndicate due to the same sender and delivery addresses.
"The sender's address is within Klang Valley and the police are doubling their efforts to track down the suspects behind the syndicate," he said.
He said heroin fetches a high price in Taiwan compared to the local market, which would have prompted the syndicate to operate for huge profits.
"For instance, the street value of 1kg of Grade 4 heroin in Malaysia is RM70,000 but is worth RM1 million in Taiwan," he added.
On Dec 8 last year, police busted a China-linked ketamine distribution syndicate when they scored the biggest ketamine seizure of the year and uncovered a drug-processing laboratory in Bukit Jalil.
In raids at two apartments, Bukit Aman's STING seized 210kg of China-made ketamine, and drugs comprising syabu, eramine 5, ecstasy and pil yaba worth a total of RM15.5 million.