KULAI: Police have dismantled a major drug-processing syndicate in Senai after a factory fire led to the discovery of a clandestine laboratory.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan revealed that firefighters responded to an emergency call at the Senai Industrial Park factory at 4.35 pm on September 14.
A police patrol team subsequently grew suspicious that the premises were being used for drug processing activities.
“The Bukit Aman NCID, together with the Johor police contingent headquarters and Kulai district police headquarters, conducted further checks and confirmed the premises had been turned into a laboratory for processing Erimin 5,” Hussein said at a press conference.
Police discovered a metal tray holding 14 plastic containers with 75 kilogrammes of powder suspected to be Erimin 5 alongside a box containing three plastic containers of Erimin 5 pills weighing 24.69 kilogrammes.
Authorities also seized three metal trays containing 16 packets and two boxes of chemical powder weighing 79.01 kilogrammes.
The raid further uncovered 11 drums filled with 1.8 metric tonnes of liquid chemicals and various items of drug-processing equipment.
A follow-up operation at a house in Seri Alam resulted in the arrest of a 41-year-old man believed to be the syndicate’s transporter for consignments disguised in wooden blocks.
Police then raided another factory located approximately one kilometre from the fire site in Desa Idaman, Senai, which was used for chemical storage.
“Among the items seized were 250kg of methamphetamine liquid, 20kg of ketamine and 1.7 metric tonnes of precursor powder,” Hussein added.
The total seizure from both locations amounted to 4.03 metric tonnes of drugs with an estimated street value of RM17.77 million.
This haul represents the largest drug seizure recorded by police so far this year.
Authorities are currently hunting for three suspects believed to be the masterminds behind the syndicate.
“The syndicate is believed to have been active since early February, and investigations revealed the two factories had been rented for the past two years,” Hussein explained.
He noted that the drugs were processed on a commercial scale using machines capable of producing up to 100,000 Erimin 5 tablets per cycle.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction. – Bernama