POLICE NAB 'DRAGON LADY', BUST 'MOBILE' DRUG LAB

By Erma Idahu

PENANG (Malaysia), Jan 21 (Bernama) -- The police have uncovered a mobile
drug-processing laboratory here, with the arrest of a female Chinese national
hired as a 'chemist' to process syabu for local distribution.

Initial police investigations revealed that the woman, in her 20s, worked
for a drug trafficking syndicate for six months to process the drug.

Her activities had gone undetected as she had been moving from one place to
another to operate the drug 'laboratory' to avoid police detection.

In the 9.30pm raid at a house two days ago, the woman led police to the
seizure of an assortment of synthetic drugs worth RM145,000.

The seizure included 16 bottles of a chemical substance used in producing
500gm of syabu worth about RM125,000.

Also seized were various amounts of ketamin, heroin and ecstasy pills worth
over RM20,000, and various drug-producing paraphernalia.

Two local men, in their 30s, believed to be members of the syndicate,
were nabbed at the housing area and in Jalan Jelutong here, respectively,
to facilitate investigations.

Penang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department chief Supt S. Batumalai said
the Chinese national faced the mandatory death penalty upon conviction under 39B
of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

He said the police kept surveillance on the syndicate's activities over the
past two weeks and were aware that it was moving from one place to another to
hoodwink the authorities.

"The (drug) laboratory had been in operation for the past six months,
processing syabu and 'yaba' (lower quality syabu) pills for distribution in the
state," he said.

Batumalai said initial investigations revealed that the Chinese woman had
entered the country legally in 2008, and worked as a waitress, while the two men
had previous criminal records.

He said the police were in the midst of tracking down another member of the
syndicate to facilitate investigations. (US$1=RM3.36)
-- BERNAMA