KUCHING: Narcotics police scored a major success against the drug trade this month, crippling a distributing syndicate in Sibu and intercepting a smuggling attempt in Bintulu, with seizures worth more than RM1.1 million.
The operations, carried out on Sept 2 and 3, dealt a heavy blow to traffickers who had been flooding the streets with dangerous substances.
Sarawak Deputy Police Commissioner DCP Saifullizan Ishak said the first operation in Sibu led to the arrest of four suspects — two men aged 48 and 34, and two women aged 33 and 27.
The raids were held along Jalan Lilin and Lorong Ulu Sungai Merah from 10 am onwards on Sept 3.
“Police uncovered a staggering haul of drugs, including 14.37kg of MDMA, 126.84g of Erimin 5, 149.70g of ketamine, 2.16kg of syabu and 219.20g of Ecstasy pills.
“The market value of the seized drugs is estimated at RM479,506.12, enough to supply some 13,674 users,” he said at a press conference in Bintulu district police headquarters (IPD) today.
He added that the suspects’ assets — two cars, RM34,796 in cash and jewellery worth over RM268,738.20 — were also seized with total value of RM387,534.20.
Investigations found the syndicate, operating since mid-2024, have been sourcing drugs from Miri via WeChat and used express buses for delivery and turning residential homes into storage and repackaging hubs.
He said customers placed orders via phone calls, WhatsApp and WeChat, while “runners” will drop off the goods at specified locations across Sibu.
“Only two of the suspects, a 48-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine and ketamine and benzodiazepine.
“The male suspects are being remanded for seven days until Sept 11 while, the female suspects are being remanded for four days each until Sept 8 and Sept 12,” he said.
Meanwhile, the second operation came just a day earlier (Sept 2) in Bintulu, where narcotics police intercepted a consignment of syabu smuggled from the Peninsula at around 9 am.
Saifullizan said officers discovered 17kg of syabu worth RM663,000 concealed in boxes labelled as coconut sugar at a premises along Jalan Tanjung Batu.
“The shipment, delivered by air cargo, could have reached as many as 85,000 drug users if it had slipped through the net,” he said.
Both cases are being probed under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment with not less than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
From Jan 1 until Sept 7, Sarawak police have arrested 7,961 individuals and seized various drugs and poisons worth RM26.1 million.
“Drugs are the nation’s number one enemy, and police will never compromise with those who profit from destroying lives,” he said.
Members of the public are urged to report any information on drug activities via the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) hotline at 012-208 7222.
