Chemist Among Two Nabbed in RM1.7mil Drug Bust in Penang

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 29 (VoM): Police have crippled a drug-processing syndicate in Penang with the arrest of two men, including a chemist, and the seizure of narcotics worth RM1.7 million.

Penang police chief Comm Datuk Azizee Ismail said the suspects, aged 27 and 50, were detained in two separate raids conducted by the state Narcotic Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) from 9pm on Sunday (Sept 28) to 8am the next day.

In the first raid, police intercepted a suspect at a parking area in George Town, discovering 129 g of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) packed in five light-blue plastic packets.

Follow-up operations led to the arrest of another syndicate member, believed to be the group’s chemist, at a premises in Jelutong. Officers uncovered 3,787 g of MDMA powder in 146 packets, 6.217 kg of MDMA stored in four sealed bottles, 26.4 g of Erimin 5 pills, 12.83 g of ketamine, 41.59 g of ecstasy pills across three packets, and drug-processing equipment used to produce MDMA. Comm. Azizee said initial investigations revealed the syndicate had been active since early September. Both suspects tested positive for drugs and were found to have prior criminal records. Police also seized a car valued at RM82,000.

The two men have been remanded for seven days until Oct 5 to assist with investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.