A drug syndicate hiding behind a cosmetic business run by a female entrepreneur with the ‘Datin’ title has been busted by the Kelantan police.
In a raid yesterday, the police managed to seize drugs worth RM2.34 million, including 14.9 kg syabu and 180,000 Yaba pills, a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine.
Kelantan police chief Shafien Mamat said the operations were carried out at the districts of Kota Bharu, Tanah Merah and Pasir Mas where seven men and four Thai women, including the Datin, aged between 23 and 48 were nabbed.
The drug syndicate, known as Datin Syndicate, was defeated based on intelligence and ambush by the Kelantan Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department over the past weeks.
“At 4.30pm yesterday, the police arrested a man at a house in Kota Bharu and confiscated two bottles containing blackish liquid, suspected to be codeine and 180,000 Yaba pills.
“The police detained two other male suspects at 4pm yesterday in a car in Kampung Kedai Mulong and seized 17 packages containing 14.9kg syabu.
“On the same day, four men and four Thai women, including a woman with a Datin title were arrested in three districts,” he told a press conference in Kelantan today.
The police found that the 48-year-old Datin was the mastermind.
All the suspects are being probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 for drug trafficking offence which carries a mandatory death sentence. They have been remanded for one week.
“We believe the syndicate has been active for the past several months. The drug supply came from Thailand and would be channelled to East Coast, including Terengganu and Pahang.
“Apart from that, we also confiscated six cars, two motorcycles, jewellery and cash worth over RM300,000,” he said.
In another development, he said the Kelantan police also busted another syndicate dubbed “Mat Yo” and raided 462,000 Yaba pills worth RM4.62 million.
In the raid carried out last Wednesday and last Thursday, he said two men aged 32 and 43 were nabbed in Kota Bharu and Tanah Merah, respectively.
“The 32-year-old man was arrested at an apartment at Jalan Sri Cemerlang and 14 packages containing 84,000 Yaba pills were seized.
“The second man was nabbed together with 10 packages containing 378,000 Yaba pills in Tanah Merah. These drugs were hidden inside three black barrels which were buried at a residential area.
“The cops also confiscated a car, a motorcycle, and cash worth RM65,000. The suspects have been remanded for one week,” he said. – Malaysiakini