- Police have busted an international drug syndicate storing ganja near Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Penang International Airport, resulting in the arrest of nine individuals.
- The operation, known as Ops Lejogaster, ran from July 12 to August 3 and involved multiple raids across Penang, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan.
- A total of 270.27kg of ganja was seized, valued at approximately RM21.62 million, enough to supply around 630,000 users.
- The arrests included five Portuguese nationals, two Singaporeans, and one each from Malaysia and Burma, aged between 22 and 51.
- The syndicate's modus operandi involved storing ganja flowers at residences near airports before handing them over to drug mules.
- The operation also rescued four foreigners from being exploited as drug mules by the syndicate.
- The first raid occurred on July 12 in Bayan Lepas, where police seized 60 packets of cannabis buds weighing 31.72kg from a vehicle and arrested two suspects.
- Following the initial raid, police conducted a search of a house in Bayan Lepas, seizing another 60 packets weighing 31.14kg.
- On August 3, a second raid in Mantin led to the arrest of one suspect and the seizure of 170 packets weighing 175.76kg.
- The same day, a third raid at Penang International Airport resulted in the arrest of another foreigner with 60 packets weighing 31.65kg.
- The total value of assets seized during the operation was estimated at RM117,172, including various items such as jewellery and electronics.
Police have successfully dismantled an international drug trafficking syndicate that utilized Malaysia as a transit route for smuggling ganja flowers, following the arrest of nine individuals and the seizure of drugs valued at approximately RM21.62 million during Ops Lejogaster.23
The operation, conducted from July 12 to August 3, involved extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance by the Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID). Commissioner Datuk Hussein Omar Khan stated that the syndicate's modus operandi included storing ganja flowers in terrace houses near Penang International Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport before distributing them to various drug mules.579
The police raids resulted in the seizure of 270.27 kg of cannabis buds, enough to supply around 630,000 users. The first raid occurred on July 12 in Bayan Lepas, where three suspects were arrested, leading to the discovery of 290 packages of ganja flowers. Subsequent raids on August 3 in Sepang and Mantin resulted in the arrest of six more suspects and the seizure of an additional 60 packages of ganja flowers.
Among the nine arrested, five were Portuguese nationals, two were Singaporeans, and one each was Malaysian and Burmese, aged between 22 and 51. The operation also rescued four foreigners from being exploited as drug mules. The case is currently under investigation as per Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.6
This operation underscores the commitment of Malaysian authorities to combat drug trafficking and dismantle international drug distribution networks.
“The operation, codenamed Ops Lejogaster, ran from July 12 to August 3 and also rescued four foreigners from being exploited as drug mules. Seized assets included jewellery, phones, laptops, and a vehicle, bringing total seizures to RM21.73 million.”
Malay Mail
thestar.com.my
