KUALA LUMPUR: What looked like an ordinary shop lot from the outside was actually a ketum juice-processing ‘kitchen’ where up to hundreds of packets of ‘air ketum’ were produced daily.

The cover was blown when police raided the premise in Taman Keramat, Ampang here on Monday arresting three quadragenarians who were caught while ‘cooking’ the illegal substance.

Ampang police chief Assistant Commissioner Khairuldin Saad said in the 10pm raid, police found two large pots in the kitchen with ketum leaves boiling over a stove.

“The three men in their 40’s were all in the kitchen during the raid and it was believed that they were in the process of making and packing the ketum water,” he said yesterday.

Police found 53 packets of ketum juice inside a barrel believed to have been ready to be sold to customers.

Further checks revealed 43 bottles of cough medicine found inside one of the suspect’s sling bags.

“Police also seized two plastic jugs, five water filters, a gas tank, plastic bags and rubber bands all believed to be part of the ketum juice production,” he said.

He added that a garbage bag filled with about 4.2 kg ketum leaves was found in a fridge stored inside the shop.

The trio was believed to have been actively involved for the last six months.

“They have been purchasing the ketum leaves from a man in Baling, Kedah once in every three days and have been selling the juice from RM5 to RM10 per packet,” he said.

The suspects may gain up to RM1,000 daily and sell up to 100 packets per day depending on the number of customers, Khairuldin added.

“Initial investigations revealed that the ketum water would be sold together with the cough medicine as their customers mostly from Thailand will request the juice to be mixed with the syrup,” he said.

Khairuldin said the trio was being investigated under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 and Section 30(3) of the Poison Act 1952 and police are seeking a remand order.-thestar