3 youths may face the gallows for trafficking cannabis

KUCHING: Three unemployed youths are the latest to face the prospect of being sent to the gallows after they were nabbed by police for trafficking over 1kg of cannabis.

State deputy police commissioner Datuk Abdul Aziz Yusof said the suspects, aged between 19 and 20 years, were arrested over the course of two days by personnel from the state and district Narcotics Crime Investigation Department ( NCID).

“Acting on information received, a team comprising state and district NCID personnel arrested two men, both 20, in Petra Jaya at 12.30pm yesterday ( Wednesday) and seized 1.18 kg of cannabis worth RM24,000.

“The third suspect, a 19-yearold male, was nabbed by police during a follow-up operation in the Matang area around 10am today( yesterday ),” Abdul Aziz told a press conference at state police headquarters here yesterday.

All three youths have been remanded for seven days for further investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

When asked if the suspects were linked to the three public university students arrested last week by police for trafficking cannabis, Abdul Aziz said it was still too early in the investigation to determine whether the suspects in both cases knew each other.

“We have only just arrested them and have not had the opportunity to fully question them. But we will be doing so over the next seven days during their remand period,” he said, adding all three suspects tested negative for drug consumption.

He also said the recent arrests and seizures showed that the police were serious in combating the drug menace in the state, and called on all segments of the community, parents and educators in particular, to play their part in ensuring the young did not involve themselves in drug-related activities.

“We are in an all-out war against drugs in the state, and everyone must play their role to help wipe out this menace by channelling information on such activities to the police,” he said.

Present with Abdul Aziz during the press conference were district police chief ACP Abang Ahmad Abang Julai and state NCID chief Supt Lukas Aket.

Abdul Aziz (second right) takes a closer look at a packaged slab of dried cannabis during the press conference. Looking on are Abang Ahmad (left) and Lukas (right). (Inset) The cannabis and weighing scale seized from the suspects.