The police have busted six illegal narcotics labs, seized drugs worth millions of ringgit and arrested 19 people over the past week in what one official today hailed as a "big success."

Police have seized heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs worth RM10.5 million since May 12 in Penang, said Othman Harun, deputy chief of the Federal Narcotics Department.

They arrested 14 people, including two women from China, when they raided six units of an upscale condominium used as drug-processing labs and three storerooms.

"It's considered a big success," Othman said. "When the raid was conducted, six were clandestine labs. The other three were storerooms."

Othman said police monitored activities at the condo for several months. He said the drugs were mainly for distribution in Malaysia though some of the methamphetamine may have been destined for abroad.

All those arrested are in police custody and could be charged with drug trafficking, which carries a mandatory death penalty in Malaysia.

100 Iranians found with hidden drugs

In a separate case, two Iranian men were arrested at Penang international airport Tuesday after 27.7 kilograms of methamphetamine worth RM5.6 million were found in their luggage, Othman said.

In Johor airport, police also held three Bulgarian men on Wednesday, seizing 5.2 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside their luggage, Othman said.

The men had arrived from Abu Dhabi after transiting in Kuala Lumpur.

"This could also be connected with the Middle East methamphetamine syndicate," Othman said of the case. "We believe they avoid the Kuala Lumpur International Airport because of our stringent checking there."

Authorities stepped up checks of travellers last year when more than 100 Iranians were found to have hidden drugs in their luggage.

Methamphetamine is becoming increasingly popular in Malaysia. Some is also smuggled to other countries in the region, authorities say.