Johor police smash RM10.68mil 'piu-piu' vape drug syndicate, seven held

JOHOR BAHRU – A syndicate's tactic of using a condominium as a packing and refilling store for drug-laced vape liquid, known as 'piu-piu' vape, was exposed after police detained seven people and seized drugs and assets worth a total of RM10.8 million in five raids across the state last Sunday.

The operation, which began at 11am, was carried out by the Johor Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) in the Kulai, Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri and Muar areas following continuous intelligence work on the syndicate, believed to have been active since February.

Johor deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner Hoo Chuan Huat said five local men, one foreign man and one foreign woman aged between 36 and 46 were arrested.

He said the first raid, at a petrol station at the Kulai Rest and Service (R&R) area, led to the arrest of a local man and a foreign woman, along with the discovery of 9,000 vape cartridges suspected to contain methamphetamine liquid weighing 82.40kg and worth RM4.12 million inside a Honda BR-V.

The second raid, at a condominium in Bandar Medini, Iskandar Puteri, uncovered the packing and refilling store, where police seized 127.55 litres of methamphetamine liquid, two packets of cocaine weighing 0.41kg, 40g of ketamine as well as various processing machines and equipment.

The third raid in Taman Sutera Utama led to the arrest of a local man along with seizures of heroin, Erimin 5 pills and ecstasy pills, while two further raids in Mutiara Rini and Tanjung Agas, Muar, netted three more local men believed to have played key roles in the syndicate.

"Investigations found that the first suspect acted as a transporter, the second suspect is the wife of the first suspect, the third suspect looked after the vape liquid packing and refilling store, the fourth suspect was a runner, the fifth suspect received equipment packages, the sixth suspect assisted the syndicate's operations, while the seventh suspect is believed to be the mastermind," he told a press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters today. (Translated from Malay)

Chuan Huat said the total drug seizure was estimated at 210.43kg with a market value of RM10.68 million, believed capable of affecting some 649,096 addicts had it reached the market. Urine screening found two suspects positive for methamphetamine, while four others had prior records related to crime and drugs.

Police also seized three vehicles – a Ford Ranger, a Mercedes-Benz and a Perodua Aruz – worth RM120,000 under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, bringing total seizures to RM10.8 million.

All suspects were remanded for seven days from Aug 3 to 9, with the case investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.