POLICE have dismantled an international drug trafficking syndicate allegedly led by a husband and wife, following a major raid in Bandar Penawar, Kota Tinggi, where narcotics worth an estimated RM2.5 million were seized.
The operation was carried out at around 10.30pm on Tuesday by officers from the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) in coordination with their Kota Tinggi district counterparts.
Johor Police Chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the raid led to the arrest of the married couple — a local man aged 43 and his Indonesian wife in her 30s — as well as the man’s local girlfriend, also in her 30s.
“During the raid, police seized 76 packages of suspected methamphetamine (syabu), weighing approximately 80 kilograms. The drugs were concealed in Chinese tea packets,” he told a press conference at the Johor police headquarters.
“The premises, a gated and guarded home, was used as a transit store for narcotics before being distributed abroad, particularly to the Riau Islands and Batam, Indonesia.”
While the couple are not believed to be the kingpins, police believe they are linked to a larger syndicate, with further arrests possible pending the outcome of ongoing intelligence gathering.
The syndicate is believed to have been active since April 2024. According to police estimates, the seized drugs could have fuelled addiction in up to 400,000 users had they reached the market.
In addition to the narcotics, authorities also confiscated four cars, two motorcycles, RM4,000 in cash, 14 million Indonesian Rupiah (approximately RM3,600), and gold bullion worth over RM21,000.
Ab Rahaman said the drugs were likely to be smuggled into Indonesia by sea.
“The couple’s marriage is not legally registered in Malaysia. The Indonesian woman holds a valid travel document and frequently entered the country on a tourist visa,” he added.
Further checks revealed the male suspect has nine prior criminal records, while the local woman has six. Two of the three arrested tested positive for methamphetamine during urine screening.
All suspects have been remanded until tomorrow for investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. The Indonesian woman is also being investigated under Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. - Sept 8, 2025
