KOTA KINABALU, May 20 — The Sabah police have crippled two drug trafficking syndicates, including one distributing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) laced vape products, with seizures worth more than RM3.25 million in raids across four districts recently.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the seizures included more than 63kg of syabu, 31kg of THC liquid, 4.49g of cannabis, and 1kg of Ecstasy powder.
“The first case involved the arrest of a 26-year-old man on May 3 at Taman Heng Long, Jalan Seri Melor Tinagayan, Semporna. Inspections uncovered 15 boxes containing various types of vape products and liquid suspected to contain THC,” he said during a media conference today.
The seizure involved 10,000 vape cartridges weighing an estimated 20kg, together with two blue gallon bottles containing liquid suspected to be THC, weighing 11 kg, with the total seizure valued at about RM93,000.
Several follow-up raids in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau had led to the arrest of three more individuals, comprising a woman and two men aged between 38 and 52, believed to be involved in transactions and delivery operations of vape products and THC liquid.
Jauteh added that the second case involved a syabu and Ecstasy powder trafficking syndicate following several raids in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, and Sipitang, beginning last Monday (May 11), where two men were detained inside a Perodua Bezza car parked at Plaza 88 Kepayan in the first operation at 7pm.
Upon inspections, two packages suspected to contain syabu weighing 2kg were found in the duo’s possession before further interrogation led to the discovery of another 50 packages of suspected syabu weighing 50.95kg in a rented room at Plaza Grand Millennium, Penampang.
“A third raid was carried out at a rented room in Asas Home New World, Penampang, where another 10kg of syabu and two packets of ecstasy powder were found. The police arrested several more individuals, including a woman believed to have links to the syndicate leader who is still being hunted by the authorities,” he said.
A man believed to be an aide to the syndicate leader was also detained while attempting to flee to Lawas, Sarawak, through the Sindumin CIQ Complex.
“The total seizure in this case involved 63.18kg of syabu, ecstasy powder and ketamine estimated to be worth about RM3.16 million. All the cases are being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction,” Jauteh said.
