RM1 mln syabu, RM465,000 cash, revolver seized

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Hamza (centre) and other senior police officers with the revolver and money that were confiscated at a workshop at BDC Industrial Estate in Kolombong.

Luxury vehicle workshop turned out to be drug trafficking centre – police

KOTA KINABALU: No one ever suspected that a workshop specialized in servicing luxury vehicles was actually a drug trafficking centre.

This was what police discovered at BDC Industrial Estate in Kolombong, where the two-storey building was believed to have been turned into a drug trafficking centre for several months before it was raided by a narcotics team from the State Police Headquarters on Wednesday.

A total of 3.96 kilograms of methamphetamine (syabu) worth RM1 million was seized together with RM465,000 cash and a revolver with 12 bullets during the 3pm raid by the police.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said police also seized eight luxury vehicles and three motorcycles, valued at RM1.9 million.

He said the police had to force their way into the building by kicking down the main door when the occupants refused to cooperate with them after being warned.

“The police then made their way into a Chinese prayer room on the first floor and detained two men, aged 28 and 34.

“Further investigation then led police into a second room and found a revolver with 12 rounds of rubber bullets.

“The police also found a safe box and upon inspection found two plastic packets of white substance believed to be syabu, weighing a total of 51.50 grams,” he said at a press conference at the state police headquarters in Kepayan here, yesterday.

Hamza said following the seizure, the police then raided a second room and found a white canvas bag that contained three aluminum packets of syabu weighing about 1.875 kgs.

He said the police then made their way to another room, on the ground floor, where they uncovered a box which contained a black plastic packet of syabu weighing 2kgs.

“Two iron safes were also located inside this room and upon inspection, police found four bags containing RM465,000 in cash,” he said, adding that three men, aged 34 and 41, were detained inside the room.

Hamza said all the drugs and cash, including eight luxury vehicles, three motorcycles, the iron safe, a weighing scale, the revolver with 12 rubber bullets and two money counting machines were confiscated for investigation.

He said among the luxury vehicles that were confiscated were a Toyota Vellfire, Nissan Skyline, Range Rover and Isuzu.

“Initial police investigation believed the five suspects are involved in drug activities and the drugs may have been smuggled into the country for the local market,” he added.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty upon conviction.