GEORGE TOWN, March 10 – Penang Police seized 2.8 tonnes (2,838kg) of ketum powder worth RM238,000 from a two-storey house at Jalan Datuk Keramat here during the 12.30pm operation, yesterday. Penang police chief, Datuk Abdul Ghafar Rajab said the laboratory at the two-storey house had been in operation for the past six years with the clients of United States, Canada, Ukraine and Indonesia.
“A 33-year-old Bangladeshi man was detained at two-storey house while processing and packing the substance. He was the only one in the outlet at the time of the raid. Initial investigations revealed the ketum powder in one kilogramme packets, were for export to several countries including Indonesia, the United States, Canada and Ukraine by air mail and declared as traditional herbs,” Ghafar told the reporters at a press conference here today.
“Police have identified the individuals involved in the operation and were tracking down a man linked to a ketum distribution syndicate. Meanwhile, police are also hunting for the laboratory’s ketum leaves supplier. Police also seized various equipment including a grinding machine, packaging machine and weighing scales. So far there was no drugs were found used in the ketum powder processing,” he added.
Ghafar said the Bangladeshi man who was detained by police was only a worker with valid travel documents has been remanded until March 22 for investigation under Section 30 (3) of the Poisons Act 1952 for the manufacture and export of psychotropic substances.
