11 civil servants among 30 nabbed, found positive for drugs in entertainment centre raid

JOHOR BAHRU: Eleven civil servants who were among 30 individuals arrested, were found positive for various types of drugs in a raid at an entertainment centre in Batu Pahat district early this morning.

Johor police chief CP M Kumar said all the male civil servants aged between 24 and 49 were arrested while they were having fun at around 1am.

He said the 19 other individuals who were also arrested comprised 13 local men and six foreign women aged between 17 and 52.

“All those arrested tested positive for various types of drugs including methamphetamine, ketamine and benzodiazepine,“ he said at a press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

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He said a 29-year-old local man who was the caretaker of the premises, was found to be operating beyond business hours and was tested positive for drugs was also arrested.

Kumar said the remand application will be made today and the case will be investigated under Section 39 (b), Section 55B and Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 as well as Section 11 (2) of the Johor State Entertainment Enactment 4/98 and Section 15(1)(a) Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Meanwhile, in a different case, Kumar said his party arrested a local man and seized various types of drugs worth RM2.39 million on April 24.

He said the 35-year-old individual, who is believed to be involved in a drug trafficking syndicate and has a criminal record, was arrested in Taman Pelangi, here.

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As a result of their investigation, they found various types of drugs in a terraced house in Taman Pelangi, including 13.6 kilogrammes of ecstasy powder, 707 ecstasy pills and 2,465 erimin five pills.

“The modus operandi of this drug trafficking syndicate is to turn a rented room in the house into a storage before it is distributed to entertainment centres and individuals.

“It is believed that the syndicate has been active since February this year and repackaged the drugs in question using instant drink packets,“ he said, adding that two cars and RM650 in cash were also seized in the raid.

He said the individual involved who tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine was remanded for seven days starting April 24 and the case was investigated under accordance with Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.