IPOH, Oct 31 — Perak police have busted a drug purifying syndicate following the arrest of a married couple in Taiping on Wednesday.

Perak police chief commissioner Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said police seized drugs worth over RM2.87 million during a raid at a house in Taman Assamara, Taiping.

“Police arrested a 39-year-old man near the Pokok Assam market area in Taiping on suspicion of being involved in drug trafficking.

“The suspect then led police to a house where they found six transparent packets containing 5,067.3 grams of methamphetamine and 84.75 litres of liquids suspected to be drugs,” he said during a press conference at the Perak Police Headquarters here.

Noor Hisam added that police also arrested the suspect’s 26-year-old wife, who was present at the rented house during the raid.

“Upon inspecting the house, police also seized equipment and chemicals which are believed to have been used to decontaminate or purify substandard methamphetamine for resale.

“The house was used solely for purifying the drugs. It cannot be labelled as a mini drug lab as it does not meet the specifications,” he explained.

Police also seized a Honda City belonging to the husband’s brother-in-law and a Nissan Navara registered under the suspect’s wife.

The husband, a lorry driver, tested positive for methamphetamine and has previous criminal and drug-related records. His wife, who is unemployed, tested negative for drugs and has no criminal record.

“We are still investigating whether the wife is involved in the drug syndicate,” Noor Hisam said.

Both suspects have been remanded for seven days until November 5.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty, life imprisonment, or not less than 12 strokes of the cane if convicted.