GEORGE TOWN: A mastermind of a drug trafficking syndicate here has been arrested following three raids conducted overnight by police from Thursday (March 7) to Friday (March 8).

He was among the four locals aged 28 to 41 years old who were arrested after police seized 17kg of ganja worth RM66,000 at separate locations, said Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Khaw Kok Chin.

"The first raid led to the arrest of two local men at a city parking lot, and five slabs of ganja weighing 5kg and worth RM17,000 were seized.

"This led to the second raid in Tanjung Tokong, during which a local man, the syndicate's leader, was arrested.

"Although no drugs were found on him, we obtained a set of keys.

"Following interrogations, police were led to a rented luxury condominium in Tanjung Tokong where a local woman was arrested.

"In the unit, police seized 14 slabs of ganja leaves weighing 12kg and worth RM37,000, as well as 14 packets of ganja weighing 4kg and worth RM12,000.

"Investigations found the syndicate had been active since September last year to serve the local market," he told a press conference at the state contingent headquarters in Penang Road on Friday (March 8).

Comm Khaw added that a car and a motorcycle worth RM12,500 were seized from the suspects.

All suspects have been remanded for seven days until March 14, pending investigation under 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, an offence punishable by death.