Direct-selling outfit turns out to be front for drug ring
KUALA TERENGGANU: A syndicate ran a thriving business by passing off drugs as health supplements and distributing them through a direct-selling outfit.
Thirteen syndicate members acted as distributors for the company and lived the life of the rich and successful.
Police recently arrested a 50-year-old man believed to be the mastermind behind the business with extensive networks stretching to Dungun, Hulu Terengganu and here.
A team from the Terengganu Narcotic Department became suspicious when they saw bottles of “multi-vitamins” displayed at a direct-selling outlet here without the Health Ministry’s barcode.
Upon investigating, they discovered the so-called stockist from Bukit Besar here was actually selling drugs.
Police arrested the suspect at 12.05am yesterday and found 1,346 psychotropic pills worth RM40,380 in his possession, said department chief Supt Roslan Abdul Wahid.
Police also confiscated RM30,000 from the suspect and RM11,000 in his office.
A further RM20,150 believed to be profits from the sale of the drugs was recovered from the suspect’s house on the same day.
Supt Roslan said the supplies were sourced from a neighbouring country.
The suspect paid RM90,000 to buy 6,000 such pills and repacked them into bottles, labelling them as multi-vitamins.
The 50-year-old suspect, a father of three, had been arrested previously for drug offences. He had also served a four-year jail term for possessing a dangerous weapon.
The suspect was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act and would be remanded until March 8.
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