http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/31/nation/4427187&sec=nation
Datuk nabbed in drug bust
GEORGE TOWN: A 52-year-old Datuk was among five men arrested during a drug bust in Sungai Dua in which police seized one million Erimin 5 pills worth RM20mil.
Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob said all the suspects were from Penang except for the Datuk, a businessman who is involved in a tyre business in Selangor.
He said the Datuk has five previous convictions including theft, firearms and corruption.
On Tuesday night, policemen from the Bukit Aman and Penang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department raided a lorry parked behind a restaurant in Sungai Dua at 11.30pm and found the Erimin pills.
Big haul: Police showing some of the Erimin 5 pills and part of the RM558,013 in cash seized during a drug bust in Sungai Dua, George Town on Tuesday night Police surprised five men, including the Datuk, who were transferring the drugs in boxes from the lorry to a car.
Police seized 10 boxes containing one million Erimin pills and 374gm of powdered ketamine from the suspects, aged 20 to 50.
DCP Ayub said police had been monitoring the syndicate for five months before conducting the raid.
“We believe the syndicate used the Penang International Airport as their hub in importing the pills from Taiwan.”
DCP Ayub said they are trying to determine how the pills were smuggled into the country without being detected when the consignment arrived at the cargo terminal.
He said the pills, all packed in a blister strip of 10, would be sold at RM20 a pill.
In a follow-up raid, police arrested eight more suspects — six men and two women — at different locations in the state.
“Some RM3.5mil worth of goods were seized from all 13 suspects including RM558,013 in cash,” DCP Ayub said.
The goods included nine cars — two Mercedes-Benzes, a BMW, two Hondas, a Toyota Wish, a Perodua Myvi, a Proton and a Volkswagen — worth approximately RM1.9mil, six luxury watches worth RM741,000, some RM218,435 in jewellery and electrical appliances worth RM30,000.
DCP Ayub said that besides the Datuk, four other suspects had criminal records, mainly drug-related cases.
The Datuk and six others have been held under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death sentence on conviction.
The remaining six have been remanded until Aug 4 as they are being investigated under Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures) 1985.
