Cops seize RM1.5mil in drugs, nab seven people in Semporna raids

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police seized over RM1.5mil worth of drugs and arrested seven people in a series of raids in Semporna and around the city over the past week.

In the first raid in Semporna, a 29-year unemployed Filipino was arrested when police saw him carting four large boxes using a trolley near a water village on Oct 19.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said in the 6.30am raid, narcotics personnel had asked to inspect the items, to which they found over 46.4kg of syabu packed in 45 packets inside.

“These drugs were packed in tea and drink packets. The value of the seized drugs is about RM1.48mil,” he said in a press conference.

This suspect tested positive for methamphetamine, he said, adding these drugs could be used by 350,000 addicts.

Jauteh believes these drugs are meant for users outside Sabah and that Sabah is just a transit point.

Following this arrest, a 35-year-old Filipino was arrested at Denawan Island at 4.20pm the next day, said Jauteh.

He said no illegal substances were found on this person but police took him in to assist probes under the Dangerous Drugs Act.

In separate raids in Kota Kinabalu, police arrested a chef, 26, from the Bandaran bus terminal at 3.45pm on Oct 16.

He tested positive for drugs and was found possessing about 1kg of cannabis, worth RM3,500, Jauteh said.

A second suspect was arrested following this arrest at Taman Kepayan at around 4.20pm the same day.

The suspect, a 30-year-old local unemployed man, was found with 3.52 grams (RM50 worth) of cannabis, and also tested positive for drugs.

Police subsequently arrested a 40-year-old local scuba guide at 3.25pm on Oct 17, from Taman BPL, Jalan Penampang, an unemployed man, 31, at 11.30am on Oct 18, from Taman Kingfisher Sulaman, and a 33-year-old Filipino from a taxi stand in the city at around 11.30am on Oct 20.

They were found with 139.9 grams (RM1,000), 24 grams (RM200) and 1kg (RM32,000) worth of drugs respectively, Jauteh said.

All of them tested positive for drugs and will be remanded up to between Oct 23 and Oct 27, he said.

In another operation, they also confiscated a parcel from an aviation post warehouse at about 11am on Oct 15, he said, adding that the parcel contained 591 grams of cannabis worth RM1,000.

The raid was conducted by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) who informed the police on Oct 17.

“We believe this parcel was from Kelantan,” Jauteh said, noting that no suspect was arrested in this case.

The police also worked with the AKPS on several of the cases mentioned above.