Trio held, RM156,000 syabu seized
KOTA KINABALU: Three men could face the gallows for being part of a drug syndicate when police seized about 1,206.28 grams of methamphetamine or syabu worth RM156,000.
The suspects, in their 40s and 50s, were nabbed in two separate raids by narcotics police from Kota Kinabalu (IPD KK) and the state police (IPK) between 10am on Nov 16 and 5.30am on Nov 17.
City police chief ACP M. Chandra said the first arrest was made at Suria Indoor Soccer Centre in Jeselton Point after they were tipped off by the public.
“A police team from the IPD KK narcotics division detained a 50-year-old man on suspicion of being involved in a drug syndicate and investigation led to the discovery and seizure of seven plastic packets of white crystalline drugs believed to be methamphetamine or syabu.
“The drugs, weighing 351.47 grams were found in a compartment on the suspect’s motorcycle,” he said told a press conference at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing yesterday.
He said upon further questioning, the suspect led police to an apartment in Api-Api where they found 13 plastic packets of white crystalline drugs, weighing 660.71 grams in an iron safe box.
Police also seized RM43,000 in cash during the raid, said Chandra.
On Nov 17, narcotics police from IPK arrested two men, aged 42 and 45, at a reflexology centre in Api-Api centre.
The suspects then brought police to an office located in Karamunsing where they found four plastic packets of white crystalline drugs, weighing 194.10 grams in a container hidden in the ceiling of the office.
According to Chandra, the drugs were smuggled from Peninsular Malaysia for local market and police believed it was one of the biggest drug cases in the state capital this year with the total seizure of 1,206.28 grams with market price at RM156,000.
The suspects are currently being detained for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries mandatory death penalty if found guilty.
Also present were Sabah Narcotics Department Head Superintendent Mohamed Fadzil Rahman, Kota Kinabalu Crime Investigation Department (CID) chief DSP Nor Azizulkifli Mansor and Kota Kinabalu Crime Prevention and Community Safety Division chief DSP Kalsom Idris.