BUTTERWORTH: Three men who had stolen a RM800 bonsai plant from a collector figured they could make a quick buck by selling the plant via Facebook.
However, the men didn't count on the collector himself stumbling upon their online ad and alerting the police, which promptly led to their arrest.
Prior to the arrest, the 45-year-old bonsai collector had last Sunday discovered that his bonsai adenium plant, worth around RM800, was missing from his house in Taman Merbau Jaya, Sungai Dua.
He had placed the plant outside the house.
The bonsai plant, which he had bought from a seller through Facebook in May, was marked with the number 1-5.
However, while scrolling through Facebook on Tuesday, the collector came across an ad for the sale of a bonsai plant, which bore an uncanny likeness to his.
He then alerted the police. A task force was formed to track down the seller and the suspects were arrested yesterday.
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Noorzainy Mohd Noor said the men, aged between 18 and 36, were picked up in Paya Keladi, Kepala Batas.
The bonsai plant was found in their possession.
Noorzainy said the trio were believed to have stolen the plant for money to fund their drug activity.
"We believe they were planning to use money from the sale of the plant to buy drugs.
"Urine tests on all three came back positive for methamphetamine. All three also had criminal records," he said.
Noorzainy said further investigations led to the arrest of four more men in Tasek Gelugor, where police seized 9.25gm of crystalised powder believed to be syabu as well as drug paraphernalia.
The trio are being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code while the four were being probed under Section 39A (1) and Section15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. - NST
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