RM1.2mil drug bust: Luxury condos turned into drugs safehouses
The suspect, a 23-year-old local man, had been renting the high-end residences — reportedly for thousands of ringgit per month — as part of a ploy to evade detection.
However, his operation came to an abrupt end following a sting by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division at the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters.
The two condominiums, located at Jalan Haji Saman and Jesselton, were allegedly used as "secret bases" to store methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy for both local and international distribution.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the first raid took place at 7.45pm on July 4, during which a bag containing 790.56g of suspected syabu (methamphetamine) was found, along with a money-counting machine, digital weighing scales and drug-packaging equipment.
"On the following day, a second condominium rented by the suspect was raided, where officers discovered two plastic packets containing 14.14g of suspected ketamine," he told reporters after the monthly assembly at the Sabah Police Headquarters today.
The suspect later led police to a locked Toyota Yaris parked at a public car park near the Sabah Art Gallery Outdoor Artspace. Inside, investigators found a suitcase and a box containing 12.7kg of syabu, 6.9kg of ketamine, 25 packets of ecstasy juice and 10 ecstasy pills. The drugs are estimated to be worth RM960,000.
Police also seized two luxury vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux, bringing the total value of the seizures to RM1.23 million.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the syndicate brought drugs into Sabah by air before trafficking them to neighbouring countries.
"The narcotics seized could have supplied more than 100,000 doses to addicts," Jauteh said.
The suspect, who tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, has no prior criminal record. He is currently being held under remand and investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
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