Johor bahru: The Johor Customs Department uncovered a syndicate selling ketum water that uses a rented factory in Taman Kempas Utama here as its processing laboratory, following seizures worth RM76,796 on February 27. Its director, Aminul Izmeer Mohd Sohaimi, said the raid was conducted by the Johor Narcotics Branch at 9:30 pm based on intelligence information from the Customs Operational Battle Force Response Assault (COBRA) team and Southern Zone Intelligence Branch.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, they detained three individuals-a man believed to be the manager and two Indonesian women workers-aged between 28 and 35. "It is believed that the syndicate has been operating for about three years. It is believed to have received its supply of ketum leaves from Kedah," Aminul Izmeer said during a media conference at the Johor Customs Department Enforcement Division Store.

The ketum water is believed to have been sold to its regular local customers at RM16 per 1.5-litre bottle. Overall, 442.9 kilogrammes of ketum leaves, 1,642.5 litres of ketum water, 200 gas cylinders, 150 cooking pots, and 50 stoves, totaling an estimated RM66,991, were seized in the operation.

Aminul Izmeer stated that the department also raided a house about two kilometres away from the factory, in Kampung Kempas Denai, believed to be used as the site to sell ketum water at 9 pm the same day. Upon inspection, the department found piles of plastic packages containing ketum leaves weighing 103kg and two containers filled with 189.50 litres of ketum water, valued at RM9,805, hidden in a room.

The seized items have been sent to the Department of Chemistry for further analysis, and investigations are underway to determine if the syndicate also sold the banned substances overseas. The case is being investigated under Section 30 (3) of the Poisons Act 1952.