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Johor cops bust drug syndicate using modified fire extinguishers to smuggle drugs into Singapore

JOHOR BARU — Johor police have crippled a drug smuggling syndicate specialising in hiding banned substances in modified fire extinguishers which were then transported by lorries into Singapore.

A modified fire extinguisher seized by the Johor Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (left) and found to be packed with narcotics and a fire extinguisher seized by Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (right) in May that had similarly been used to conceal drugs.

A modified fire extinguisher seized by the Johor Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (left) and found to be packed with narcotics and a fire extinguisher seized by Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (right) in May that had similarly been used to conceal drugs.

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JOHOR BARU — Johor police have crippled a drug smuggling syndicate specialising in hiding banned substances in modified fire extinguishers which were then transported by lorries into Singapore.

The syndicate’s operation was uncovered by the Johor Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) in several raids in the Malaysian city.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said on Monday (May 31) that the success was the result of intelligence information sharing by the Singapore Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Bukit Aman NCID and the Johor police contingent.

He said that based on the information, a total of nine suspects were nabbed in the raids carried out in several premises around the city here at about 1.20am on Sunday.

“The suspects comprised six local males and a female, as well as an Indonesian man, aged between 26 and 46," Mr Ayob Khan said in a statement.

“Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate’s members, believed to be operating for the past three months, had hidden the drugs in modified fire extinguishers before being smuggled by a lorry carrying ice destined for Singapore."

Mr Ayob Khan said investigators seized 7.12kg of cannabis, 4.52kg of syabu (crystal methamphetamine) and 3.11kg of heroin that had a total value of RM215,283.20 (S$68,900).

He said police also seized eight cars worth RM172,000, RM1,200 in cash and various jewellery worth RM11,693.

Mr Ayob Khan said one suspect was found positive for drugs during a urine test, while three other suspects had various narcotics and criminal records.

“The suspects have been remanded for a week starting today to assist in investigations under Section 39B and Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said.

Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

Last month, Singapore authorities had found drugs similarly concealed in a fire extinguisher when officers raided a residential unit near Jurong East Ave 1.

Two Singaporean men aged 26 and 28 were arrested and about 466g of heroin and 7g of methamphetamine were seized from the unit together with various drug paraphernalia and S$4,585 cash.

CNB officers later recovered an additional 1.82kg of heroin and 518g of methamphetamine that they believed the suspects had thrown out the window prior to the arrest.

In a statement on Tuesday, CNB said the recent arrests in Malaysia and Singapore were a testiment to the close cooperation between drug enforcement agencies in both countries.

"Motivated by profit, drug traffickers and syndicates will continue to take huge gambles to smuggle illicit drugs into Singapore, and will stop at nothing to evade detection from the authorities," it added.

"The Central Narcotics Bureau will continue to work closely with Malaysia’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department to share timely intelligence and to secure our borders against transnational drug trafficking activities." MALAY MAIL

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