SHAH ALAM: A loan shark is believed to have bankrolled a mini drug laboratory that was crippled in Bukit Puchong in Selangor last week.

       The drug syndicate he started is said to have secured a steady supply of pure heroin from the Golden Triangle and was producing Ecstasy pills and grade-three heroin for users in the Klang Valley.

       Police seized at least RM8.09mil worth of synthetic drugs from the laboratory, which had been operating out of a shoplot in Bukit Kepong for over six months.

       Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Razarudin Husain said police raided six locations in Gombak and Bukit Puchong between 12.10pm and 4.30pm on Nov 22.

       “We arrested 10 suspects aged between 22 and 42. Among them was the syndicate kingpin, who was also a loan shark. The syndicate is believed to have been processing heroin and Ecstasy pills for over six months,” he told reporters yesterday.

       Comm Razarudin said that after police uncovered the illicit premises, they seized 19.7kg of heroin base, 43.1kg of grade-three heroin, 3.2kg of Ecstasy pills as well as 110kg of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) worth RM8.09mil.

       “By our estimation, the drugs seized could supply at least 1.8 million users,” he added.