GEORGE TOWN: Penang police busted a syndicate processing unregistered medicines with the arrest of two brothers and a married couple, and seizure of various types of medicines worth RM14 million.
Penang police chief Sahabudin Abd Manan said two raids were conducted in Bukit Mertajam and Butterworth jointly by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, Penang State Health Department (JKNPP) and the Penang branch of the Malaysian Chemistry Department.
He said the first raid was conducted on a factory at the Machang Indah Industrial Park, Bukit Mertajam, at 10am last Thursday.
“Police arrested three locals, including the 48-year-old owner of the premises and a married couple, aged 48 and 44. The factory was found to be processing unregistered pills and medicines.
“JKNPP also seized 22 types of unregistered medicines worth RM2 million.
“Subsequently, police raided a shop in Taman Kencana, Butterworth, for carrying out the same activity and detained a man, aged 50, a sibling of the first suspect (premises owner) in the first raid.
“JKNPP also seized 156,777 bottles of various brands of unregistered medicines worth RM12 million,” he told a press conference, also attended by JKNPP pharmacy enforcement branch chief Arnie Fadzilah, here today.
Sahabudin said the investigation found the syndicate had been carrying out unregistered drug processing activities at the factory and shop since early this year.
“The suspect in the first raid has a record of five criminal activities and drugs. The couple were his workers while the suspect in the second raid also has a criminal record,’’ he said.
He said his party managed to uncover the syndicate’s activities after gathering intelligence over the past few weeks following their suspicion that there were drug processing activities at the factory.
“The factory and shop were actually carrying out unregistered drug processing activities. All four were released on police bail on the same day after the JKNPP took down their statements,” he said.