Published on: Friday, February 15, 2013 |
A protracted investigation which included working with their Hong Kong counterparts also saw police making 13 arrests of syndicate members in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Sabah.
Also seized were a myriad of equipment and paraphernalia used to process drugs. Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigations Department Director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said after months of surveillance and cooperation with Hong Kong police, they managed to cripple the two syndicates through six raids conducted in separate locations here on Feb. 4.
It is the biggest drug bust in Sabah and believed to be the second biggest in the country, the first being in Penang several years ago.
"Ten locals and two Hong Kong nationals were nabbed here while another Hong Kong national was arrested in Kuala Lumpur," he told a media conference at the Kota Kinabalu Police Station, Thursday.
"The first raid was conducted in an industrial centre in Inanam where four locals were arrested and confiscated the drugs packed in 75 plastic packets hidden in a safe box inside the premises," he said. Some 39.5kg of Ephedrine Precursor used to process the drugs was also seized.
Five other raids were conducted in three premises at Jalan Bundusan in Luyang, one premises at Lorong Taman Moktar and one premises near City Mall.
"A total of 8.2kg Ephedrine Precursor, 198 bottles containing Red Phosporus and equipment used to process the drugs were also seized from a premises belonging to the syndicate in Kolombong," he said.
Also confiscated from the syndicate were chemicals such as Acetone, Xylem and Magnesium Sulfate, together with two luxury cars (Porsche and Mercedes Benz), RM31,946 and HK$28,880.
He said their modus operandi was to smuggle drugs into the country by concealing it in sacks filled with clothes before shipping it out by sea in a container believed to be from Africa.
The case would be investigated under Section 39B Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Dangerous Drug Act (Special Prevention Measures) 1985.
"Our fight to curb drug activities is not easy because we are fighting against businessmen who are willing to do anything to gain profit.
Thus, we need the cooperation from every quarter to tackle this menace," he said.
