Drug-laced drink suppliers nabbed in three raids.
- Beverages are laced with ecstasy, ketamine, syabu
- One spiked sachet makes one jug of drinks costing RM250, serving 5 people
- Drugs mixed with lime juice, coffee, hot chocolate, herbal drinks
Police have uncovered three syndicates supplying pre-mixed drug-laced drinks to entertainment outlets in the city.
“The mixture of ketamine and ecstasy drugs were found in the pre-mixed instant soft drink powders which were meant to be supplied to entertainment outlets.
“Once mixed, the drug-laced instant drinks are meant to make partygoers high and it’s a tactic to entice customers to return due to the addiction,” city police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim told a press conference yesterday.
He advised partygoers to avoid consuming ‘unknown’ drinks at entertainment outlets in the city for fear that they might contain drugs.
“We advise the public to be vigilant of such tactics as it will result in a positive urine test, and I would like to issue a stern warning to the outlets – stop abusing your licences,” Mazlan said.
Narcotics officers detained five people in three raids in Kuchai Lama, Cheras and Kepong on Monday, and seized various drugs.
In the first raid in Kuchai Lama, Mazlan said police nabbed a couple, aged 25 and 27, who led them to an apartment in Happy Garden
“There we found 8.76kg of ecstasy in pill and powdered form, along with 53.4gm of pounded ketamine worth about RM100,000,” he said.
Among the seized items were more than 10 packets of pre-mixed lime juice drinks, each comprised of 15 sachets.
Other seized items included loose packets of hot chocolate and ginseng beverages believed to have been mixed with ecstasy and ketamine. Each sachet could serve up to five people, priced at RM250 per jug.
Besides the drugs, police also seized cash, jewellery and several items worth RM60,000.
In the second raid, police detained a 31-year-old man at a parking lot of an apartment in Taman Maluri, Cheras at 8.50pm on Monday.
“The raiding team seized ecstasy mixed in health drinks weighing 298 grams. The drugs seized are worth RM1,800,” Mazlan said, adding that each sachet was sold at RM150.
In the third operation also on the same day, police arrested a man and a woman, aged 39 and 22, at a parking lot of a supermarket in Jalan Kepong.
They were caught with 184.6g of syabu (methamphetamine) worth RM3,520. Police also seized RM216 cash from the duo.
Mazlan said all five suspects tested positive for drugs and have been remanded until Nov 27.
The three cases were investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty by hanging if convicted.
According to Mazlan, the suppliers had been operating for about four months.
It was learnt entertainment outlets would buy the spiked sachets containing powdered drugs and sell them to customers.
Suppliers normally sold these drinks in packets of 15 sachets.
Each sachet could be used to make a jug and cost the customer about RM250.
“A single jug is enough for five people, so they would most likely share the cost,” Mazlan said.
The drugs would normally be mixed with soft drinks like lime juice, or coffee, hot chocolate or traditional herbal drinks, and regular customers would order the drinks by their flavour.
“Some customers were unaware they were drinking drug-laced drinks and would order a second drink after getting high on the first.
“There were also instances when we raided an entertainment spot and customers were shocked they tested positive for drugs after their urine test. We later found out they were drinking these spiked drinks without knowing its contents.”
Mazlan warned those running these outlets not to abuse their entertainment or liquor licences.
“They are allowed to serve alcohol to customers, but since when are they allowed to sell drugs so openly?” he asked.
“Outlet owners should be aware and responsible for what goes on in their clubs and should not use this method to attract business.”