KUCHING: Customs officers here have made their largest drug haul of the year with the seizure of methamphetamine worth RM1.5 million.
Acting on information, the department’s elite team, the Customs Operational Battle Force Response Assault (Cobra), together with the Kuching International Airport Customs Narcotics Branch raided a two-storey residence in Matang on Mar 6.
Sarawak Customs Department director Norizan Yahya in a press conference, said a local man in his late 20s, suspected to be a member of a drug distribution syndicate, was arrested in the raid.
“Thorough inspections uncovered 45 packets of ‘Guan Yin Wang’ tea packets containing crystal powder believed to be methamphetamine.
“The drugs, weighing 46kg, carry an estimated street value of RM1.5 million. All the packets were found concealed in four packages of used jeans in the living room of the house.
“Based on the weight of the seized drugs, it is estimated that more than 450,000 people have been spared from the scourge of drug abuse,” he said at Wisma Customs yesterday (Mar 18).
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect was part of a syndicate distributing drugs around Kuching for several months now.
Norizan added that the department through its narcotics branch is currently on the hunt for more individuals suspected to be linked to this drug seizure.
“The latest modus operandi is to bring in drugs from the peninsula and pack them with used clothes to avoid detection.
“The case is being investigated under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said.
He said this latest operation is the third drug-related case this year.
In January, two local men were arrested at Sibu and Miri Airports, resulting in the seizure of a combined total of 30kg of methamphetamine.
“All three suspects have now been charged in court.
“From January to Mar 12 this year, we have recorded the seizure of 87.8kg of various drugs, with an estimated street value of RM2,598,467,” he said.
