Johor police seize US$303,000 after nabbing Singaporean, another man in raids on drug-laced vapes

JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysian police have arrested two men - a Singaporean and a Malaysian - for allegedly trafficking drug-laced vapes, seizing drugs and assets worth RM1.19 million (US$303,000) in what authorities described as Johor’s largest recorded seizure of its kind. 

They were nabbed in two separate raids in Johor Bahru on Jan 29, Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said during a press conference on Tuesday (Feb 3).

The Singaporean suspect,  38, was arrested in Taman Molek while the Malaysian suspect, 25, was arrested in front of a bank in Taman Mount Austin.

“The arrest of the (Malaysian) man led to the seizure of 3,200 vape cartridges containing ketamine and 48 packs containing 960g of ecstasy at a house in Taman Setia Indah, while police seized a Toyota Cross and RM136,500 in cash,” he said in remarks carried by national news agency Bernama.

The seizure was the biggest recorded in Johor so far, he added.

Ab Rahaman said the Singaporean is believed to have managed the operation’s finances, while the Malaysian allegedly handled the distribution of the drug-laced vapes.

Each vape cartrid­ge contained about 3.4ml of ketamine and was sold for RM300 each, he said, adding that the operation is believed to have been active since December.

“Their modus operandi invol­ved using a house as a storage facility and employing runners who used a drop-off point method at designated locations for custo­mers or agents to collect the drugs,” Ab Rahaman said, as quoted by local news portal The Star.

Both men tested negative for drugs and had no prior criminal records. They were remanded for seven days from Jan 29.

The case is being investigated under Malaysia’s Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.

If convicted, offenders face the death penalty or life imprisonment and not fewer than 12 strokes of the cane.