Largest drug syndicate in Sabah: Ex-cop among eight wanted

KUALA LUMPUR: A former policeman was among eight suspects wanted for being involved in the biggest drug trafficking syndicate in Sabah.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the wanted suspects comprised three locals, four Filipinos, and one Indonesian woman all aged in their 30’s to 40‘s.

He said the first suspect is a former policeman who opted for early retirement, Haibil Kiraman (Haibil) followed by members of the syndicate: Sahairul Sabudin (Bantayan), Absar Musa (Absar), Hasan Syamsuddin (Nas Botak), Joel Edwin (Dedek), Muhammad Sing Harun Musa (Thambi), Rohani Mhd Yunus (Karisa) and Manan Ungok (Mike).

“Members of the public who have information on the suspects have been told to contact ASP Mohammad Izzat Hassan at 019666 7535,” he said.

Ayob Khan disclosed the matter at a media conference in Bukit Aman here Tuesday.

Ayob Khan said the final locations of Haibil, Bantayan, Karisa, Dedek, Nas Botak and Mike were in Tawau while Absar was in Kota Kinabalu and Thambi in Papar, Sabah.

“We will find and arrest any police officer or personnel or other public servant involved in this syndicate, and if there is enough evidence we will charge them in court. We will not tolerate such matters,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ayob Khan said from the 11 arrested on Dec 25 last year, three accused involved in the syndicate are serving their sentences in Sabah.

“Two local men, both 29 with one of them being held in a rehabilitation centre and the other is serving a prison sentence under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act with a 28-year-old woman.

“The three accused will be charged in court on March 1 because they are members of the syndicate who act as transporters,” he said.

Following that, the police also froze a total of 42 accounts of the syndicate for the period from Dec 27 last year until Jan 19 amounting to RM1.86 million and also froze another eight accounts worth RM543,378.

“Among the properties that were frozen were 10 machineries worth almost RM1 million and 11 plots of land which were all worth RM2.81 million,” he said.

In addition, 20 vehicles of various types estimated to be worth RM6.7 million, jewellery worth RM100,000 and cash RM35,041 were seized.

The media previously reported that more than RM7 million in assets belonging to a drug syndicate in Sabah, allegedly led by a patron of a nongovernmental organisation with the title of Datuk, had been confiscated.

On Monday, a businessman along with 10 men were charged in the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court on the charge of being members of the organised crime group ‘Geng Upik’ between 2015 to 2023 related to drug cases. — Bernama