GEORGE TOWN: For a mere RM9,000 to deliver drugs across the world, a 28-year-old man from Sarawak was bound for London with 40kg of cannabis worth RM3.2mil.
However, his journey ended at Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas when police arrested him at the international departure waiting area, just before he could board his flight.
Penang police chief Comm Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the man had been recruited as a courier and was promised RM9,000 to transport the drugs to London.
"He came from Miri, Sarawak and was instructed by an intermediary to bring the drugs to London.
"He was only acting as a courier and told us this was his first time doing it.
"He had been in Penang for only two days before he was caught on Oct 18," he said during a press conference at the police contingent headquarters (IPK) in Penang Road on Monday (Nov 2).
Lim said police found 40kg of cannabis flower in the suspect's luggages, with the drugs estimated to be worth RM3.2mil.
The suspect was charged in court on Oct 30 and pleaded not guilty.
He had earlier been remanded for 13 days from Oct 19 to 31.
In a separate operation on Nov 1, police arrested three people and seized various drugs worth about RM1.05mil from an apartment in Jelutong.
Lim said the operation began at about 7pm when police arrested a 39-year-old Malaysian man near the lift of an apartment along Jalan Tapah.
A search found about 1.3g of ketamine in his possession, while a urine test also returned positive.
Following information from the suspect, police raided an apartment on the 10th floor of the same building and arrested a 40-year-old Chinese woman.
A search of the unit uncovered various drugs, including about 7kg of syabu, five Erimin 5 pills weighing 35g, 20g of ketamine and 0.015 litres of liquid ecstasy.
Police also seized equipment believed to have been used for drug processing and distribution, including filters and digital weighing scales.
The drugs were estimated to be worth RM1.05mil.
During the operation, another man, a 44-year-old unemployed local, arrived at the apartment and was suspected of coming to purchase drugs.
He was also arrested.
Lim said all three suspects were being investigated under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, with investigations still ongoing.
The cases involved investigations under Sections 39B, 12(2) and 15(1) of the Act.
