PASIR GUDANG: A businessman with a Datuk title was among five individuals arrested following the bust of a drug lab and alcohol smuggling syndicate involving seizures worth some RM10mil here.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the suspects were arrested between Monday (Nov 27) and Tuesday (Nov 28) in three separate raids in Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru.

"Following an investigation, a special operation was carried out in an industrial estate in Taman Pasir Puteh, Pasir Gudang where we found some RM5.53mil worth of untaxed alcohol.

"During the raid, we also discovered a container cabin that was being used as a lab to process and store drugs.

"Three men, including two foreigners and one local, were arrested during the raid.

"This led to two other raids in Johor Baru where we arrested two more suspects, including the Datuk," he said, adding that the suspects are between the ages of 26 and 54 years old.

He said this at a press conference at the Seri Alam police headquarters here on Wednesday (Nov 29).

Comm Kamarul Zaman said that the 46-year-old Datuk is believed to be the mastermind of the syndicate.

"The syndicate made use of shipping containers to carry out and hide their activities before smuggling it for the local market.

"We managed to seize some 22.8kg of ecstacy powder, 696g of ecstacy pills and some 182.9 litres of chemicals amounting to RM1.79mil.

"We have also seized 10 cars, gold jewellery and cash of various currencies along with machines used to process the drugs worth RM3.04mil in total," he said, adding that it could feed the addiction of some 78,470 individuals.

He said that the syndicate has been active in smuggling alcohol since November last year while the drug lab has been active since June this year.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 and Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drug Act (Special Preventive Measures) 1985, Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act.