Police bust drop‑and‑collect drug syndicate in Kuching, arrest seven and seize RM1.35m meth

KUCHING, July 10 — Police have busted a drug trafficking syndicate believed to have used the drop-and-collect method to distribute drugs, arresting seven individuals and seizing 26.97 kilogrammes (kg) of suspected methamphetamine, or syabu, worth RM1.35 million in four raids around Kuching and Padawan.

Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said the operation, carried out between 4.35 pm on July 3 and 12.30 am the following day had led to the arrest of four Malaysians and three Indonesians aged between 25 and 46.

He said the first raid at a residential area in Jalan Matang resulted in the arrest of a 31-year-old local man and the seizure of 60.5 grammes (g) of suspected methamphetamine.

“Acting on information obtained, police then raided an apartment in Jalan Batu Kawa and arrested a 43-year-old local man, a 44-year-old local woman, two Indonesian men aged 37 and 46, and a 34-year-old Indonesian woman.

“A search of the apartment uncovered 5.45g of suspected methamphetamine,” he said in a statement today.

Alexson said the third raid, conducted in front of a shop in Jalan Setia Raja, Stutong, led to the arrest of a 25-year-old local man found in possession of 5.3kg of suspected methamphetamine.

He said information gathered from the arrests subsequently led police to a fourth raid at an apartment in Jalan Tabuan Tranquility, where another 21.6kg of suspected methamphetamine was seized.

“The total quantity of drugs seized is estimated to be sufficient to supply about 134,500 drug users. Investigations found that syndicate members were paid between RM3,000 and RM6,000 a month as runners to distribute drugs around Kuching and Padawan,” he said.

He said the syndicate received instructions from its upliner to distribute the drugs using the drop-and-collect method, in which drug supplies were left at designated locations without meeting customers face-to-face to avoid detection by the authorities.

The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment and, where the death penalty is not imposed, a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction, he added. — Bernama