GEORGE TOWN: Penang police busted a drug processing laboratory in Bandar Baru Air Itam and confiscated RM723,000 worth of heroin and syabu in separate raids on Monday.
Two men were also detained to assist in investigations.
State police chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan said in the first raid at 4pm, police nabbed a 42-year-old man in Air Itam.
He said police found 31 plastic packets of heroin, weighing 14.5kg, inside two bags.
“The suspect then led police to a house, and upon further checks, we found another 17 packets of heroin, weighing 8.4kg and six packets of syabu, weighing 3.1kg.
“We subsequently arrested another man, aged 52, in Paya Terubong, and was led to a house in Lengkok Angsana.
“Checks in the house revealed it was used as a drug processing laboratory by the suspects,” he told a press conference at the state police contingent headquarters here today.
Thaiveegan said, checks in the drug processing laboratory, police seized 1.1kg of heroin base, 8.4kg of heroin and 86.3kg of caffeine powder.
“We also seized cash amounting to RM37,000 and the suspects’ vehicles, besides freezing their accounts,” he said.
He added that both suspects had no previous record and they may have used their personal knowledge to produce the drugs.
Both the suspects have been remanded for seven days to assist in investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952.
“We are also investigating the possibility of more people being involved with the two suspects,” he added.
