JOHOR BARU: Police have confiscated 35kg of drugs worth RM1.1mil and arrested five people, including a husband and wife during a series of raids last week, here.

       Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said that the first raid was conducted on Nov 9 where the police arrested two male suspects aged 39 and 49 in Kota Tinggi.

       "The duo were arrested inside their vehicle at 3pm near a restaurant in Kota Tinggi. Inspection inside the car found 14.5kg of ganja worth RM36,392 that was stored inside the car.

       "One of the suspects was an Indonesian man who had been illegally living here for the past five years without any travel documents.

       "Their modus operandi is by smuggling drugs to the neighbouring country via the sea," he said, adding that the group has been active since July 2021.

       He said this during a press conference at the Johor Police Headquarters, here, on Sunday (Nov 14).

       He added that police had also confiscated a sport utility vehicle and a motorcycle worth RM125,000 and cash worth RM1,401.

       Comm Ayob also informed that one of the suspects had tested positive for methamphetamine, while the other had a prior case involving criminal activity.

       Meanwhile, in the second raid on Nov 10, police arrested a 23-year-old man at an apartment, here, at 9am.

       "He was arrested along with several powders believed to be Ecstasy and Ketamine," he said.

       He added that a follow-up raid was then conducted at about 2pm that led to the arrest of a husband and wife, aged 59 and 53, at a different apartment around here.

       "We have confiscated 21.1kg of ecstasy worth RM1mil, 78.6g of ketamine worth RM11,790, 1.8g of syabu worth RM180, 90 Ecstasy pills worth RM1,350, and 170 Erimin 5 pills worth RM2,550 from both apartments.

       "The trio's modus operandi is by renting gated and guarded apartments around Johor Baru to be used as a store that would supply drugs to private parties and entertainment centres," he said.

       Comm Ayob also informed that urine tests also revealed that one of the suspects was positive for ketamine and that two of them had prior cases involving drugs and criminal activities.

       Police have also confiscated a vehicle worth RM70,000 and cash worth RM3,495.

       Both cases are investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking, which carries a death sentence or life in prison and whipping with a minimum of 15 strokes.