KOTA SAMARAHAN: An unemployed man was arrested on suspicion of delivering drugs worth almost RM1 mln in order to settle a debt with a loan shark.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail said the 31-year-old suspect from Kota Kinabalu was arrested in Jalan Stutong here.
At about 9am on Wednesday (March 24), a police team spotted the suspect hiding a suspicious package in the bushes near a private hospital.
Upon arresting him and inspecting the contents of the package, police found 18 plastic packets containing drugs believed to be syabu, weighing around 145g.
“The team also found a set of keys and an access card to a house on the suspect. He later led the team to an apartment in Jalan Batu Kawa.
“Inside the apartment, the team found 21 ‘tea’ packages in a luggage. Each package was wrapped with bubble wrap and brown tape, all weighing around 21.8kg.
“In addition, the team also found a polystyrene box with 141 plastic packets containing crystalline substances, weighing around 1.8kg,” Comm Aidi told the media at the Kota Samarahan District Police Headquarters.
All the packages, weighing around 23.8kg and valued at RM955,500, were seized as evidence.
The suspect and the items were taken to the police station for further action. A background check found that the suspect did not have a criminal record but he tested positive for drugs.
Comm Aidi added that investigations found that the suspect came to Sarawak last Nov 9 and had served the 14-day mandatory quarantine in a hotel in Kuching.
“Since then, the suspect was offered to be a ‘tokan’ (runner) to deliver drugs around Kuching.
“He got himself involved in delivering drugs since last December because he needed to settle a debt of RM10,000 with a loan shark.
“We believe the suspect’s modus operandi is, he would obtain the supply from an unknown man through a phone call.
“The suspects will then pack and distribute the drugs based on demand through social media applications. He will dump the drugs at a location and send a picture of the location to the supplier, who will then inform buyers of the location.”
The suspect is being remanded until April 1 to facilitate investigations under Section 39B and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
