Police find live mortar bomb during drug raid

The police found a live mortar bomb during a raid early yesterday on a house in Kuala Kurau believed to be owned by the head of a drug trafficking syndicate.

Perak Narcotics CID chief ACP R. Ravi Chandran said the 60mm bomb was found in the 4.30am raid in Seberang Bagan.

He said the bomb unit took at least three hours to prepare for detonation of the bomb on-site as moving it may have posed a risk to public safety.

"We are aware that drug dealers would not hesitate to arm themselves with firearms or explosives in order evade the authorities," he told a press conference at the Perak police headquarters here today.

Ravi said the case was being investigated under Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957 which carries a maximum jail term of seven years or a fine not exceeding RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.

Ravi said that besides the bomb, the police found 1.2kg of heroin and 13g of cocaine worth RM19,630, and arrested a 47-year-old man with 11 criminal records.

He said that based on information from the arrest, police conducted another raid on the same day at Taman Seri Kurau, arrested a 23-year-old woman and seized 97.77g of Syabu worth RM6,843.

Less than an hour later, the police raided another house in Jalan Siakap, Bagan Serai, and arrested a 49-year-old man who had 10 previous criminal records.

"In the raid, police seized various types of drugs worth RM5,948, including 350 Eramin 5 pills; 16.94g of heroin and seven Ecstasy pills.

"Initial urine screening tests on the three suspects were positive for Amphetamine, and all of them will be remanded for seven days beginning today," he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death sentence upon conviction, he said. -- BERNAMA