Fire crackers worth RM408,943 seized, three men arrested

Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said that acting on a tip-off, the police stopped a van with three men inside at about 11 pm in Batu Maung last Thursday (Jan 19).

"Following a search in the vehicle, the police found a packet containing 6.40 grammes of ketamine and 18 erimin 5 pills, all valued at RM2,700, and also 81 boxes containing 527 different types of firecrackers.

"Following the arrest of the three men, aged between 26 and 45, the police then raided a premises in the Batu Maung area a few hours later and found 44 sacks containing 333 boxes of various types of firecrackers," he told a press conference here today.

He said the 860 boxes of firecrackers, worth RM408,943, were believed to have been smuggled from a neighbouring country and for distribution to markets in the country for the Chinese New Year celebration.

On the three suspects arrested, Mohd Shuhaily said two of them tested positive for drugs.

The 45-year-old man is a trader, while the other two are his workers, he said, adding that all of them are in remand for investigation under Section 12 (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957.