KOTA KINABALU, Oct 24 — Sabah police have arrested two suspected drug dealers in two separate cases yesterday seizing over 5kg worth of syabu.
In the first case at around noon, Sabah police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said the police acted on a tip-off and approached a 21-year-old west Malaysian who had picked up five packages from a courier company in Donggongon here.
“Upon closer inspection, the packages were found to have contained chocolate tins which held packages of what is believed to be syabu, wrapped in carbon paper and foil that is supposed to avoid detection when screened,” he said during a press conference here.
The suspect, a food delivery man who also tested positive for drug use, was believed to have mailed the drugs by a courier company from peninsula Malaysia to himself here in Sabah.
Omar said that police counted the 10 tins and packages of drugs at 5,066 grams and with a street value of over RM250,000.
“We are trying to track down the main supplier,” he said.
Later that same day, police apprehended a 33-year-old foreign labourer at a condominium complex in Telipok, some 25km from the state capital at about 4pm.
“The police approached the suspect in a vehicle and he surrendered his songkok, which was placed on the centre console, to the police,” said Omar.
“Hidden in his songkok was several small packets of syabu,” he said. The drugs were found to weigh 251g in total, and were valued at about RM18, 500.
He told the police that he obtained the drugs from a woman, also a foreigner, in Menggatal.
Both suspects are under remand until October 30 while police investigate the case under section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
If convicted, they are liable to receive the death penalty or life imprisonment with caning.
Omar said that drug crimes this year have increased by almost 30 per cent, with the state’s Narcotics Department arresting some 13,670 suspects for various drug offences. The same period last year saw 10,750 people arrested.
Of the total arrested this year, 870 were classified as drug dealers while 338 were repeat drug users.
Based on data, there has been a significant reduction in the use of syabu, from 80,047 grams last year to 42,429 grams seized this year. However, the use of kratom liquid, or air ketum, has increased dramatically with 54,000ml seized, compared to just 2,500ml last year.
