HOW THEY BRING IT HERE: (from third left) Law, and Dennis show how the drugs were concealed while (from left) Shafie and Osman look on.
SIBU: The seizure of 7.4kg Syabu during the arrest of two foreigners last Wednesday is said to be the biggest seizure of such substance by the police in the state this year.
The arrestees, a man and a woman, were suspected to be drug mules.
Deputy State Police Commissioner Datuk Law Hong Soon said the seizure was worth about RM1.48million in the state market price.
“We received information about the two foreigners from our counterparts in the peninsula on Nov 27, and as soon as the suspects walked out of the luggage-claim hall at the Sibu Airport, we stopped and checked on them,” he recalled.
The duo was on the same flight from KLIA to Sibu airport.
He said the police seized about 3.1kg of drugs believed to be Syabu from the male suspect with the market value of RM625,000.
The police found and seized about 4.2kg believed to be syabu with the market value of RM850,000 from the female suspect.
The suspects were believed to have flown in from Chennai and New Delhi en route Kuala Lumpur.
Law, however, said the police believed Sibu was not their final destination area. “The drugs were not meant for the local market as the amount was too big for the market here.
“We believe Sibu was only a transit point for them to go somewhere else.
“We are waiting for interpreters to help us in our investigation.”
Lay said the drugs were concealed in their luggage, handbags, slippers, and some inside ribbons.
He said the case would be investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
Law felt that the trend of using third airports (smaller airports) as transit points by drug syndicates could be an eye opener for other airports.
He advised that smaller airports, such as Sibu Airport, be extra vigilant against the arrival of foreigners on transit to other countries.
He said the recent case was the second of such nature in the state, with the first one also at the Sibu Airport in August.
“In August, we seized 3.4kg of Syabu worth RM685,000 from a foreigner who had flown in from Chennai, India and was using the same modus operandi and with the same flight as the recent one,” he pointed out.
Law advised travelers against carrying any prohibited item such as drug.
“Some helping others to check in excess luggage may not be aware that they actually checked in illegal items,” he cautioned.
Law said the recent seizure of drugs was done under Ops Cantas Khas Narkotik – an on-going project by the police force.
With Law at the press conference were Sarawak Police Narcotics Investigation Department deputy chief DSP Osman Adam, Sibu Police Chief ACP Shafie Ismail, and Sibu Head of Narcotics Unit Dennis Bunyam.