Malaysian police arrest another Singaporean over suspected drug trafficking using drone

Johor police said the man was arrested at a condominium in Johor Baru. PHOTO: CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police have arrested another Singaporean man suspected of being involved in trafficking drugs into Singapore using a drone.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the 41-year-old was arrested on Tuesday (June 23) at a condominium in Johor Baru, the same day another suspect nicknamed Boy Setan (Devil Boy), a Singaporean, was detained.

Datuk Ayob told reporters on Wednesday that three people had been picked up on Tuesday - Boy Setan, his 23-year-old Malaysian girlfriend, and another Singaporean man.

"Boy Setan and his girlfriend were arrested at a condominium in Mount Austin, while the other suspect was detained in Johor Baru. Both Singaporeans tested positive for methamphetamine," he added.

On Wednesday, Mr Ayob told The Straits Times that 40-year-old Boy Setan, whose real name is Mohamad Azli Ahmad Said, had been arrested by police.

Mr Ayob added that, based on intelligence, both men are part of a secret society called 369 in Singapore.

Malaysian police seized 37 Ecstasy pills, 13.6g of Ice and 2.4g of heroin.

Mr Ayob said the suspects are remanded for 14 days until July 7 and that there are likely to be more arrests soon.

"We are looking to charge them first before handing them over to our Singaporean counterpart," he added.

Mr Ayob said Azli had allegedly flown a drone with drugs from Johor Baru city centre into Singapore. It was the first such case in Malaysia.

The Malaysian authorities also did not disclose when he had done this or what the drugs were.

Azli had allegedly been in Malaysia for the past three months.

His mother, who gave her name as Madam Zainab, told ST on Tuesday that she knew it was just a matter of time before he was arrested.

He had been convicted for gang and drug-related offences before, she said. "I was always worried and I told him to stay away from trouble," she said, adding that she last saw him about a year ago.

Azli is believed to be associated with four Singaporeans arrested by the Singapore police and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) last week, also for trafficking drugs by drone.

Two of them - aged 29 and 34 - were arrested on Wednesday last week for suspected drug-related activities in which a drone was allegedly used to fly a bag of drugs from Johor Baru to Kranji.

Based on flight data retrieved from one of their phones, it is believed the suspects allegedly flew the drone from Kranji to Johor Baru and back that day.

CNB officers subsequently found 35g of Ice, 8g of heroin and 195 Ecstasy tablets in a car belonging to one of the suspects, which was parked near Kranji Reservoir Park.

In a follow-up operation the next day, CNB officers raided a unit in a private housing estate in Marne Road, where a 40-year-old man was detained. Drugs as well as $13,230 in cash were found in the unit.

In total, the authorities seized drugs worth at least $44,000.

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