GEORGE TOWN: Police have disrupted a drug trafficking ring after arresting six people, including a family of five.
Penang deputy police commissioner Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad said that during the operation, which lasted from 21 to 22, officers confiscated 139.5kg of cannabis worth RM432,614.
“The operation began around 8 a.m. on March 21 and was carried out by the state police headquarters Narcotic Criminal Investigation Department in the Bayan Lepas area,” he said during a news briefing at state police headquarters on Friday (March 22).
According to DCP Mohamed Usuf, during the first operation, a mother and her three children aged 15 to 29 were arrested at a residence in Bayan Lepas on Thursday (March 21).
He said the arrest came after the woman’s 49-year-old husband was seized at a friend’s house.
He stated that following the arrests, police successfully seized 138 compressed marijuana packets weighing 139.5kg and valued RM432,614.
He stated that an examination of the family’s rented village house revealed five sacks containing 133 compressed marijuana packets, one plastic bag containing five compressed marijuana packets, and one box containing 83 small transparent packets of dried leaves suspected to be marijuana weighing 0.6kg.
DCP Mohamed Usuf stated that investigations revealed the drug distribution ring has been active since June of last year.
“We also confiscated three vehicles, a car and two motorcycles, totalling RM11,500.
“All of these drugs were intended for the local market, and the seized drugs could potentially supply 280,000 drug users if they had reached the market,” added the police officer.
He stated that the urine screening results revealed that one of the suspects tested positive for marijuana and has a criminal history.
“Five of the suspects are remanded for seven days beginning today (Friday, March 22) and ending March 28, while another is remanded for six days till March 27.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1952, which is punishable by death.
