Johor cops seize syabu worth over RM4.5 mln in Muar

JOHOR BAHRU: Johor police seized 125.78 kilogrammes (kg) of syabu worth over RM4.5 million following the arrests of five individuals in Muar last week.

State police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said 84kg of the drugs worth RM3.02 million were seized in a raid at a rented house in Parit Jawa on May 12 at about 1 pm.

Following the seizure, he said three local men and an Indonesian woman, aged between 36 and 49, were arrested. Three of them tested positive for methamphetamine while two suspects have previous drug-related records.

Police also seized two vehicles and froze a bank account with RM72,762.50, he said at a press conference here today.

"The woman who was arrested is the wife of one of the suspects. This is not the first time the syndicate has smuggled drugs. They did it for the first time on May 2 and managed to get away with 76kg of drugs.

"They got caught in their second attempt. The drugs were believed to have been obtained from the northern part of the country and was placed in a rented house here before being smuggled to Bengkalis in Indonesia by sea," he added.

Ayob Khan said the remaining seizure of 41.78 kg of syabu worth RM1.5 million was made after a 40-year-old man was arrested during a COVID-19 roadblock at Jalan Bakar Batu towards Melaka-Muar on May 14.

"The drugs are believed to be smuggled to neighbouring countries and for the local market, and they were found hidden in a special storage area of the car boot to elude the authorities.

Following the arrests of the suspects, a vehicle and a bank account, with RM81,612.94 were seized, he said.

According to Ayob Khan, all suspects have been remanded for seven days until May 19 and 21 for further investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

-- BERNAMA