GEORGE TOWN, March 22 — The Penang police arrested six individuals including a married couple with their three children, and seized 139.5 kilogrammes (kg) of marijuana worth RM432,614 in a raid at a house in Jalan Mahkamah, Bayan Lepas near here last night.
Penang deputy police chief Datuk Mohamed Usof Jan Mohamad said two of them, both men aged 25 and 49, were arrested by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) in the 8 pm raid at the house.
“A 48-year-old woman and her three children, a son and two daughters, aged between 15 and 29, were arrested later after they returned to the house from performing the terawih prayer. They are the wife and children of the 49-year-old man,” he told a press conference here today.
He said police inspected the house and seized five sacks containing 133 compressed cannabis weighing 133.9 kg, a plastic bag containing cannabis (5 kg) and 83 small packets of cannabis weighing 0.6 kg.
Based on preliminary investigations, he said the drugs were smuggled from a neighbouring country by road and delivered to the 49-year-old man in Bayan Lepas.
He said the investigation also found that the syndicate had been active since June last yea.
“All of those arrested are unemployed while the 15-year-old boy is no longer in school. One of them tested positive for drugs and also has a record.
“Based on the investigation the married couple is the mastermind of the drug trafficking syndicate and the police are investigating the role of their three children,” he said.
Following their arrest, the police also seized two cars and a motorcycle, all worth RM11,500.
Five of the suspects are on remand for seven days until March 28 while the teenage boy is on remand until March 26 for investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
— Bernama
