KOTA KINABALU: Three men, including an IMM13 card holder, are expected to face a drug trafficking charge that carries the mandatory death penalty after they were caught with about 200 grams of methamphetamine or syabu worth RM20,000 yesterday.
City police chief ACP M. Chandra said the suspects, in their 20s and 30s, were nabbed by police during an operation at a car park at Bandaran Berjaya here around 1.45pm.
“Police received a tip-off of a drug activity in the area and immediately deployed a team of narcotics police to the scene.
“As police arrived, they spotted a Nissan Navara vehicle which tried to speed off but rammed into a garbage bin.
“The suspects then tried to escape by exiting through the driver’s side window but were apprehended by the police,” he said yesterday.
Chandra said police investigation found four plastic packets of crystal-like substance believed to be Methamphetamine or syabu weighing around 200 grams and worth RM200,000.
However, he said preliminary urine tests of the suspects, who were from Sandakan, Inanam and Kota Marudu, came back negative of any drug abuse.
The suspects have been remanded for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952, which carries the death penalty on conviction.