KUCHING: The Sarawak Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department is considering applying Section 39B of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 to those who allow their bank accounts to be used by drug dealers.
Its head, Supt Sahar Abd Latif, said yesterday that based on a study they did, drug syndicates in Sarawak are fond of using the bank-in method.
“All this while, we tried to find the most effective method to deal with this issue. So for 2019, we have started to take action and the information that we get is that the accounts used by the dealers are ‘rented’ or accounts belonging to their friends.
“So Sarawakians, if this situation exists, please stop it. We have already started to confiscate one account out of the four that we discovered,” he said at a press conference in the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters, Jalan Badruddin here yesterday.
“We will make arrests under Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Can you imagine if we arrest the account owners under Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952? How long would they be placed in the lock-ups,” he said.
“We have information that in a month the account owner is paid RM200 to RM300. But we will not allow this anymore. We will arrest the account owners; we will implicate them under Section 39B.
“We will find out how they willingly allow their accounts to be used by drug dealers. That is the only method that we can use. We will follow the law.
“We cannot arrest without basis, so the department will have to relate it to Section 39B. Why? Because it is very clear that the account owner is abetting. So it is within the context.”
