Drug ring nipped in the bud, eight held

Drug ring nipped in the bud, eight held JOHOR BARU: Police have arrested eight people, including two women, believed to be members of a drug processing and trafficking ring active in the Johor Baru area since two months ago. Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Amir Sulaiman said yesterday they were arrested in two separate raids conducted at Desa Tebrau, here last Tuesday, and at Taman Pelangi Indah, Ulu Tiram, early yesterday. Police seized two pistols, two luxury cars, three motorcycles and Ecstasy pills. In the first raid, conducted at 11.30pm at a house at Desa Tebrau, police arrested a man, believed to be the ringleader, and two women and seized 254 ATS pills weighing 229gm, and a motorcycle. Five others, aged between 38 and 41, were detained in a raid at a house at Taman Pelangi Indah at 3.30am yesterday. Police found two pistols ­ a Norrinco with seven bullets and a Colt ­ and 104 bullets of various types. Also seized were 805 Ecstasy pills, 799gm of Ecstasy powder and 1,972gm of ketamine powder, 18 iron rods, 10 sets of iron mould, three small funnels, a weighing machine, a compressor, a table lamp and a hammer. Police also seized two cars ­ a Mercedes Benz and a Toyota Camry ­ and two motorcycles. "Preliminary investigations found that the eight people detained were involved in processing Ecstasy pills which were distributed to entertainment centres in the city," he said. Mohd Amir said the eight would be remanded until Oct 21 for investigation under Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, Section 8(a) of the Firearms Act 1960 and Section 8 of the Firearms (Heavier Penalties) Act 1971. ­ Bernama