RM440,000 syabu smuggling bid to overseas foiled

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Hamza (left), Abdul Rahim (centre) and N. Nalini with the drugs and the items that were confiscated from the suspects.

KOTA KINABALU: Police foiled an attempt to smuggle 1.5 kilograms of syabu valued at RM440,000 into a neighboring country following the arrest of two men, including a foreigner, along a river bank in Pasir Putih, Tanjung Batu log pond in Tawau on Monday.

Police also confiscated RM29,445 cash, 3.6 million in Indonesian currency (RM1,150), jewellery and cellphones in the 6.40pm raid, said State Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib.

He said the Tawau Marine Police made the raid after receiving a public tip-off.

“As police approached the area, they spotted two men, one sitting in a Proton Iswara car while the second man was standing outside the vehicle.

“During interrogation and investigation, police found a bag packed with two packets of Ali CafE Power Root coffee beverage.

“Further investigation on the beverage packets found two big packetS of aluminum containing 13 small plastic packets containing crystal-like substance believed to be syabu,” he said at a press conference at the state police headquarters in Kepayan here yesterday.

Also present were Sabah Narcotics Department head Superintendent Abdul Rahim Dolmat and Inspector N. Nalini.

Police believed the drugs were to be smuggled into a neighboring country.

“Police are still investigating if the case is linked to any international drug syndicate,” he said, adding that police also seized a Toyota Hilux from one of the houses of the suspect the same day.

Hamza said the suspects, aged 24 and 34, had been remanded for seven days to assist police investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty.