SUNGAI BULOH, Oct 8 — Police have dismantled a ketum production and distribution organisation fronting as a landscape company in raids at a village here.
In the raids at 12pm on October 3 on two houses, four men aged between 21 and 42, including the ringleader, were arrested.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said two of the suspects were locals, one of whom was believed to be the owner of the landscape company, while the other two were foreigners working at the premises.
He said that during the raids, the police also seized 1,100 bottles of ketum juice, estimated to contain 550,000ml of the banned substance, as well as 41 cartons of contraband cigarettes, all valued at RM17,500.
“The investigation revealed that they obtained ketum leaves from a supplier in Perak and had been actively processing ketum juice since 2021, with large-scale operations beginning earlier this year,” he told a press conference here today.
Hussein said the syndicate could process and sell 500 bottles of ketum juice within two to four days, earning up to RM20,000 a month from the activity.
He added that the gang was found to be selling ketum juice at different prices based on their operating hours.
“A bottle of 500ml of ketum juice is sold for RM5 during the day and RM10 at night, with transactions conducted in cash only,” he said.
All four suspects have been remanded for seven days until Thursday to assist in investigations under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952 and Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967.
— Bernama
