SHAH ALAM: Police have dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate following the seizure of 173.14 kilogrammes of cannabis valued at RM5.9 million.
The narcotics, intended for European markets, were confiscated during four separate raids conducted on October 3 and 5.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said seven individuals, comprising five men and two women aged between 25 and 41, were arrested.
Two vehicles with a combined value of RM129,000 were also seized during the operations.
The first raid at a house in Subang Jaya led to the arrest of two men and one woman.
Police discovered 115 plastic packages containing 112.23 kg of cannabis flowers and 43 packs with 4.72 kg of cannabis lumps.
Two men were apprehended in a second raid along a Petaling Jaya roadside.
A Perodua Alza car they were in contained 12 plastic packages holding 12.52 kg of cannabis flowers.
A third raid at a Selayang hotel resulted in the arrest of a man and a woman.
A search of their hotel room uncovered two plastic packages with 2.1 kg of cannabis flowers.
Hussein said the Selayang arrest prompted a fourth operation at a Petaling Jaya condominium carpark.
Authorities found a Toyota Vios containing 40 plastic packages with 41.56 kg of cannabis flowers.
Initial investigations revealed the syndicate had been active since early September.
The Klang Valley served as their base for distributing drugs to overseas markets, particularly European countries.
All seven suspects tested negative for drugs in initial urine screenings.
Four of them had previous criminal records for drug and criminal offences, with 18, eight, six and three records respectively.
The suspects, all Malaysian nationals, have been remanded between October 4 and 19.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – Bernama