Tawau police chief ACP Jasmin Hussin (centre) with officers showing the syabu seized in a drug bust at an oil palm plantation.
KOTA KINABALU: Police have seized 2.10kg of syabu worth RM120,000 after busting a drug smuggling attempt in which the narcotics were hidden inside tea packaging.
Tawau OCPD Asst Comm Jasmin Hussin said the drugs were found inside two golden-coloured packets during a raid at an oil palm plantation in Jalan Air Panas Tiku here.
A team from the district police’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division carried out the operation at around 2.30pm on Feb 26 and arrested a 54-year-old Indonesian man at the scene.
“Our personnel spotted the man behaving suspiciously in the area and proceeded to detain him,” ACP Jasmin said at a press conference in Tawau on Tuesday (March 4).
A search led to the discovery of a black plastic bag containing the tea packaging. Upon closer inspection, the bag contained a clear crystalline substance believed to be syabu.
“The estimated gross weight of the drugs is 2,101.50g,” he said.
ACP Jasmin said initial checks showed that the suspect, who held a valid passport, had no prior criminal record. A urine test conducted on him also returned negative for drugs.
The man has been remanded for seven days from his arrest for further investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“We are working to track down the drug distribution network linked to this case,” he said, adding that police welcome any information from the public to help combat drug-related activities in the district.
