KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Police have arrested nine people and seized nearly RM1.48 million worth of ecstasy-laced vape liquid in a series of raids across the Klang Valley on August 22, crippling a local drug syndicate.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Datuk Fadil Marsus said those arrested, aged between 24 and 34, were part of a syndicate that had been active since last year.
Speaking at a press conference today, Fadil said the operation was launched based on intelligence gathered by the Kuala Lumpur Narcotics Criminal Investigation Departments and the federal police.
The first raid took place at approximately 7.45 pm that day, at a gated residence in Jalan Kuchai Jaya.
Two suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested and led police to another unit in the same residence where the drugs were stored.
Inside, police discovered nearly 3.5kg of MDMA (ecstasy) powder.
“Also seized were eight boxes containing 3,750 vape fluid cartridges and 26 boxes containing 2,600 bottles, all believed to be filled with MDMA,” Fadil said, adding that the seized drugs were the equivalent of 35,000 doses.
Following the initial arrests, subsequent raids were conducted across the Klang Valley on the same day, leading to the arrest of the remaining syndicate members.
All but one of those detained were locals; one suspect is a Thai national.
Fadil said the syndicate would work out of condominiums and gated communities to process and store the narcotics, a tactic used to impede discovery by authorities.
They also employed runners for distribution throughout the Klang Valley.
He attributed the success of the operation to continuous intelligence gathering and public cooperation.
“We are going to deploy all police elements to go all out against this drug menace, because if it gets out of control, the consequences are dire,” Fadil said.
