A synthetic drug trafficking syndicate distributing MDMA and vape liquids has been crippled, with police seizing items worth RM1.48 million during a series of raids in the capital recently.
Seven operations were carried out on August 22 by the Kuala Lumpur Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) together with Bukit Aman NCID following intelligence and surveillance.
It is understood that the seized vape liquids came in fruity flavors such as grape and strawberry, sold for between RM100 and RM300.
Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said nine individuals, aged between 24 and 34, were arrested, consisting of five local men, three local women, and one Thai woman.
Among the seizures were four plastic packets containing MDMA, eight boxes with 3,750 MDMA vape cartridges, 26 boxes with 2,600 bottles of MDMA liquid, and two boxes with 20 packets of black-colored vape cartridges. Police also confiscated cash and jewelry linked to the syndicate.
“In total, the drugs seized amounted to 3,587.5 grams of MDMA, 7,600ml of MDMA cartridges, and 39,000ml of MDMA liquid, with an estimated value of RM1,485,220,” Fadil said during a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters on Thursday.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate operated out of luxury condominiums and residential units equipped with tight security systems, which they used to process and store drugs in order to avoid detection.
“The syndicate employed ‘runners’ to distribute the drugs around the Klang Valley. Initial investigations show they had specific distributors and buyers in the region, though we do not rule out the possibility that sales extended beyond the Klang Valley,” Fadil added.
