GEORGE TOWN: The Pneh triad is believed to be behind the drug-processing lab busted in Lorong Padang Tembak on Monday.

Police have identified the three men caught in the raid as members of the triad. Pneh means ‘flat’ in Hokkien.

Penang police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the three suspects, aged 25 to 47, were busy processing drugs when police stormed the premises.

“Two of them have no prior records while one has a previous drug-related offence. All three tested positive for morphine,” he said.

The drugs, with an estimated street value of RM1.1mil, include 34kg of heroin, 2,738 ecstasy pills, 10.4kg of caffeine, various chemicals and drug processing equipment.

“The syndicate has been operating for five months and the drugs were meant for distribution in the northern region,” he said at the police contingent headquarters in Penang Road yesterday.

Police also impounded a Toyota Altis and a Proton Wira, and found RM1,382.

The raid on a semi-detached house in Lorong Padang Tembak at 5.20pm on Monday was carried out by a team from the Penang Narcotics Department.

The case will be investigated under Section 39B(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty upon conviction. All three suspects are under remand until May 31.

When asked about the 470.1kg ganja bust in Teluk Bahang on Monday, he said police were still hunting for two locals believed to be part of a syndicate.

“The drugs were brought in from a neighbouring country,” he said.

On Ops Warta, he said 234 traffic offenders had been arrested here in the ongoing nationwide operation. “Nine of them were women,” he added.

He advised the public to immediately settle their summonses instead of waiting to be arrested.-thestar