SIBU: A husband and wife, believed to be the ringleaders of Sarawak's largest drug syndicate, have been charged with trafficking.
Male accused Tie Teck Hock, 53, was slapped with two charges under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2), here on Wednesday (July 2).
In the first charge, he is accused of trafficking 1,030.80g of methamphetamine at 10pm on June 12 along the sidewalk of an eatery on Jalan Pedada.
Tie was also charged under the same Act with his wife Lee Chee Fei, 44, for trafficking 6,055.9g of methamphetamine at 10.45pm on June 12 in a storeroom under the staircase of a house in Lorong Permai Jaya.
They face the death penalty, or life imprisonment and no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
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They are also in the dock for two additional charges under Section 12(2) of the Act for possession, punishable under Section 12(3), read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code for an act by several individuals in furtherance of a common intention.
They face jail of up to five years, a fine of up to RM100,000, or both upon conviction.
They are alleged to have had 2,078.9g of ketamine and 2,022.15g of the anxiety and insomnia drug nimetazepam (in the form of Erimin 5 pills) at 10.45pm on June 12 in a storeroom under the staircase of a house in Lorong Permai Jaya.
Magistrate Oon Kork Chern ordered both accused to be remanded in Sibu Prison as the offences under Section 39B (1) and (2) are non-bailable and involve a possible death sentence.
He also fixed Aug 22 for mention and ordered that both accused, who have health conditions, be given adequate medication during their detention.
The couple was arrested in a series of raids carried out by the Sibu District Narcotics Crime Investigation Division on June 12 and 13.
It was reported that the drugs and assets seized from them, totalling RM8.5mil, made up the biggest narcotics-related seizure in the state's history.
The haul by police included 7,086.7g of methamphetamine, 2,078.9g of ketamine, and 2,022.6g of Erimin 5 pills.
Also confiscated were RM5.16mil in cash, four gold bars, two gold chains, two luxury watches and three luxury vehicles.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the couple are the principal figures in a drug trafficking syndicate that has been active in the Sibu area since 2015.
