Malaysian police were today hunting more suspects after arresting seven alleged members of an international drug cartel involved in one of the world's largest illegal narcotics busts in Fiji.

Fiji police, working with counterparts from Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand in "Operation Outrigger", on Wednesday smashed a drug set-up on the verge of producing US$536 million worth of crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice.

"Malaysian police nabbed two Chinese nationals, three men and a woman from Hong Kong, and a Malaysian on June 9," federal police narcotics department director Najib Abdul Aziz told AFP .

"We hope to make more arrests. We are still trying to trace one or two of them who are still around," Najib said.

"We suspect Malaysia was a meeting place for the syndicate to plan their activities," he said, adding that police had been investigating the gang for more than a year.

"Most of their members come here, it could be because it is a central point for those from China to travel on to Fiji. They may also think it's safe here," he said.

"We have a very close cooperation with Fiji police, we have also got the expertise and assistance of police and drug enforcement agencies in Australia, New Zealand and the United States."

1,000kg of 'ice'

A laboratory and factory at Fiji's Laucala Beach area of Suva had just started producing the 'ice' and police said it would have churned out 1,000kg of the drug within a fortnight bound for Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United States.

On April 27, simultaneous police raids in Malaysia and China busted an international drug ring producing millions of dollars worth of methamphetamine pills, arresting thirty people at a drug factory near here and in Shanghai and Fujian in China. - AFP