IPOH: The police have arrested a father and his son and seized drugs worth about RM23mil during an operation at Jalan Lebuhraya Timur Barat in Gerik.

       Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Razarudin Husain said the 58-year-old man and his son, 27, are from Kelantan while the drugs, believed to be methamphetamine and ketamine, weighed about 448kg.

       "The operation was held on June 26 at about 6pm.

       “We stopped a tow truck that was towing a white Toyota Alphard,” he told a press conference at the Perak police headquarters here Tuesday (June 29).

       “We found 447 packs of drugs in the car,” he said, adding that it was the biggest drug bust this year.

       Razarudin said both suspects have no prior record and tested negative for drugs.

       Bukit Aman Narcotics Department Director Datuk Razaruddin Husain (3rd left) and his officers looking on the biggest drugs seizure in Perak. - RONNIE CHIN/The Star

       "We believed that the drugs, originally from Thailand were not only for local markets but also to be distributed to other countries, including Australia and South Korea.

       “With this huge supply of drugs, we estimate that it could be used by over two million drug addicts,” he said.

       "They managed to deliver the drugs to Kedah earlier," he added.

       He said the police will be conducting more inspections on tow trucks that are towing vehicles.

       "Based on our investigations, this is a new modus operandi,” he said, adding that they are keeping an eye on a “local kingpin” of a syndicate.

       Razarudin said both suspects have been remanded from June 27 to July 3.

       The case, he added, would be investigated under Section 39(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries the mandatory death penalty if convicted.