Police raid ketum drink processing lab in Gombak

Police arrested nine men and seized 704 bottles of processed ketum in a narcotics bust at a house used as a processing lab in Kampung Padang Balang here, last night. - NSTP/MUSTAFFA KAMAL

KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested nine men and seized 704 bottles of processed ketum in a narcotics bust at a house used as a processing lab in Kampung Padang Balang here, last night.

The authorities also seized a small amount of ganja, three ice boxes, drums, gas cylinders, large pots believed to be used to boil the ketum leaves and 30 kilogrammes of ketum leaves.

Wangsa Maju district police chief Superintendent Rajab Ahad Ismail said, acting on a tip-off, a police team raided the house at about 8pm, while the suspects were busy preparing the concoction.

"The suspects, all aged between 35 and 56, were engrossed in their work when suddenly, one of them noticed the police presence.

"At the time, some of the bottles had already been filled with the processed Ketum concoction and were ready to be distributed," he said.

Initial investigations, he said, revealed that the ketum drink was sold at RM20 per bottle and was meant for sale in the village and the Gombak area.

"We believe the suspects are friends and have been actively involved in the crime since March after the Movement Control Order was enforced.

NSTP/MUSTAFFA KAMAL

"They used the back portion of the house to cook and prepare the ketum drink to avoid detection," Rajab said when contacted.

He said the house looks like any other from the outside, and does not raise any suspicion at first glance.

"The estimated worth of the 1,056 litres of seized ketum drink is RM14,000," he said.

The ketum, known by its scientific name of Mitragyna speciose, is a tropical plant found in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia.

Part of the coffee family, Ketum trees can be found growing in the wild and was once used as a herb in traditional medicine.

However this changed over the years after drug addicts began abusing ketum leaves for their Mitragynine content, which has sedative and euphoric effects.

Mitragynine was then listed in the Third Schedule of the Poisons (Psychotropic Substances) Regulations, Poisons Act 1952, making it an offence to import, export, manufacture, sell, and possess the psychotropic drug.

Anyone found guilty of using or producing ketum products can be charged under Section 30(5) of the Poisons Act 1952, which provides for a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or four years' imprisonment, or both. - NST