PENANG: The police have uncovered a mobile drug-processing laboratory in Jalan Ayer Itam, with the arrest of a female Chinese national hired as a ‘chemist’ to process Syabu for local distribution.
SUCCESS BUST: Batumalai (right) answering the media during the press conference on the successful seizure of various drug-producing paraphernalia and WY drugs. — Bernama photo
Initial police investigations revealed that the woman, in her 20s, worked for a drug trafficking syndicate for six months to process the drug.
Her activities had gone undetected as she had been moving from one place to another to operate the drug ‘laboratory’ to avoid police detection.
In the 9.30pm raid at a house two days ago, the woman led police to the seizure of an assortment of synthetic drugs worth RM145,000.
The seizure included 16 bottles of a chemical substance used in producing 500gm of Syabu worth about RM125,000.
Also seized were various amounts of Ketamin, heroin and Ecstasy pills worth over RM20,000, and various drug-producing paraphernalia.
Two local men, in their 30s, believed to be members of the syndicate, were nabbed at the housing area and in Jalan Jelutong here, respectively, to facilitate investigations.
Penang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department chief Supt S Batumalai said the Chinese national faced the mandatory death penalty upon conviction under 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
He said the police kept surveillance on the syndicate’s activities over the past two weeks and were aware that it was moving from one place to another to hoodwink the authorities.
“The (drug) laboratory had been in operation for the past six months, processing Syabu and ‘yaba’ (lower quality Syabu) pills for distribution in the state,” he said.
Batumalai said initial investigations revealed that the Chinese woman had entered the country legally in 2008, and worked as a waitress, while the two men had previous criminal records.
He said the police were in the midst of tracking down another member of the syndicate to facilitate investigations. — Bernama