JOHOR BARU: A local drug-trafficking syndicate used frozen goods as a ploy to ferry ganja from Kelantan all the way to Johor, police revealed.

       State police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the syndicate, which had been active since December 2019, used refrigerated lorries to bring the drugs from the east coast.

       He said syndicate members used interstate travel letters to get past roadblocks set up by authorities.

       “Police arrested 10 suspects, including a woman, believed to be syndicate members during a series of raids in Kulai and around here on Aug 8.

       “Two of the suspects are civil servants while the woman works as an executive officer,” he told a press conference at the state police headquarters here yesterday.

       The suspects are aged between 26 and 48. Police believe the syndicate sourced ganja from a neighbouring country before dispatching it from Kota Baru.

       “The drugs were hidden inside a modified compartment of the trucks,” he added.

       Comm Ayob also said police seized some 175kg of ganja worth RM441,163 and confiscated, among others, six cars, two lorries, two motorcycles, various personal items and RM45,550 from the suspects.

       He said the items and drugs were worth RM797,762, adding that seven of the suspects had committed drug-related offences before.

       The suspects are being remanded until Aug 22 under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.