The foreign man (centre) successfully caught by Tawau Narcotics Police after a brief struggle.
KOTA KINABALU: A foreign man with no criminal record is now facing the possibility of the death penalty after being caught with over 80g of syabu in a police operation at Kampung Kurnia Jaya in Tawau.
OCPD Asst Comm Jasmin Hussin said the 30-year-old suspect was spotted loitering and carrying a black sling bag at 5.30pm on Monday (March 24).
“As narcotics officers moved in, he attempted to flee, discarding the bag... (but was) caught after a brief struggle,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (March 25).
In the bag, police found 15 packets of a crystal-like substance believed to be syabu weighing 83.43g, with an estimated street value of RM8,000.
ACP Jasmin confirmed that the suspect, who does not have valid documents, tested negative for drug use and has no prior offences.
However, he said the man has been remanded for seven days as investigations continue under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, a charge that carries the death penalty, or life imprisonment with caning, if convicted.
Police are now working to trace the distribution network linked to the suspect and have urged the public to report any suspicious activities.
