KUCHING: Eight persons, including two women, were arrested for allegedly trafficking in various drugs worth more than RM197,000 in a joint operation last Sunday (June 25).
Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said a team from the Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) and the Sarawak NCID conducted the raid on an entertainment centre at Jalan Sungai Padungan here.
The operation held from 1.20 am to 6 am led to the arrest of eight suspects under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“Seven suspects comprising five local men, a local woman, and a foreign woman, were found to be in possession of 12 juice packets containing suspected MDMA powder mixture, weighing around 540g.
“Meanwhile, a 30-year-old local man, who was identified as the supplier of the drugs to the entertainment centre, was also arrested for possessing 45 packets of juice containing suspected ecstasy powder (2.08kg), 63 ecstasy pills (25.20g), and a plastic packet containing suspected ketamine (20g).
“The drugs with an estimated value of RM197,458 could have supplied a total of 8,877 drug addicts,” he told a press conference, adding that the drugs were brought in from Malaya using courier services.
He said a remand application was filed under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code before the Magistrate’s Court on the same day.
The seven suspects, aged between 26 and 42, will be remanded for five days until June 30 whereas the other male suspect is being remanded for seven days until July 2.
During the raid, the team meticulously inspected a total of 204 patrons of different nationalities – 181 locals (122 men and 59 women) and 23 foreign women.
Of the figure, 152 tested positive for drugs.
Mohd Azman said three off-duty policemen were also apprehended after they were found to be positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine.
“The trio, comprising a senior police officer with the rank of ASP and two policemen with the rank of sergeant and corporal were later released on bail.
“The individuals who tested positive for drugs are aged between 19 and 54, and they are being investigated under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he added.
On June 26, 14 foreign women, who tested positive for drugs, were charged in the Magistrate’s Court.
Police also confiscated valuable properties amounting to RM1.17 million, including four luxury cars, namely a Toyota Camry, BMW X5, Land Rover and Lexus, eight pieces of jewellery, three luxury handbags, five watches, 10 phones, and cash of RM30,650 and SGD300.
“The police, especially the NCID, will continue to beef up efforts to combat drug trafficking activities by arresting syndicate members or individuals, as well as disabling their sources of drug supply, finances and assets to ensure that drug trafficking activities are fully eradicated,” said Mohd Azman.
