AMPANG JAYA, Selangor: Four suspects, including three Singaporeans, have been arrested by Malaysian police in a drug bust involving almost 10L of cocaine contained in 4,958 cartridges of vape liquid.
The combined value of the narcotics seized last Thursday (Jun 19) from the suspected members of a drug syndicate is estimated to be RM7.29 million (US$1.71 million), according to a press statement by the Royal Malaysian Police Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department.
Its acting director Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin bin Che Ali told a press conference on Monday that the syndicate rented luxury condominiums around Kuala Lumpur as packing facilities for the vape cartridges and narcotics before they were distributed to the international market.
The syndicate is believed to have been active since March 2024, and rented an Airbnb condominium unit for RM300 a day for their operations, as reported by Bernama.
“The first, second and third suspects were paid from S$100 to S$200 (US$78 to US$156) per day while the fourth suspect profited from the sale of the vape liquid,” Mat Zani added.
“Each vape cartridge containing 1.9ml of the cocaine liquid can be sold for around RM1,500 per unit on the international market since this type of cocaine drug is difficult to obtain in the Southeast Asian region due to its high price, and is usually used by the elite,” Mat Zani said, as reported by Bernama.
One of the suspects arrested tested positive for ketamine. A review of the criminal records of the suspects found that two of them had various records of criminal misdemeanours and narcotics cases.
The case is being investigated under section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and two suspects are remanded for seven days until Jun 26 and can be sentenced to death by hanging or life imprisonment and no fewer than 12 strokes of the whip if convicted.
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