Sabah: Sabah police arrested three drug runners along with a haul of 41.63 kilogrammes (kg) of methamphetamine worth more than RM1.3 million in two raids last Thursday (Aug 28). Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said in the first raid at 8.15 am at the Jalan Ranau Poring petrol station, a Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department team from the Sabah police contingent headquarters (IPK) found 20 plastic packages believed to contain methamphetamine while inspecting a vehicle.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, further inspection uncovered a black trunk containing 21.3 kg of methamphetamine worth RM681,600 and a 31-year-old man was arrested, as stated by Jauteh at the Sabah IPK today. In a follow-up raid on a vehicle in the compound of a mosque in Telupid at 9.20 am, police discovered 20 plastic packages of methamphetamine weighing 20.33kg and estimated at RM650,560. He said two men aged 21 to 24 were also arrested in the raid.

Jauteh mentioned that the total drugs seized in the two raids are sufficient for 160,000 doses. Initial investigations found that the three local men were acting as runners for a drug dealer to send the meth from Kota Kinabalu to the east coast of Sabah for a fee of RM1,000 per kg of drug in transit. The suspects admitted to being involved in methamphetamine trafficking since early February and this was the third time they had acted as runners.

"We believe the drugs were brought in from the Peninsula via courier services to be taken to the east coast of Sabah. One of the suspects also has a record of past drug-related offences. All three suspects have been remanded until Sept 5," he said. The case is being investigated under Section 39b of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.