By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 18: Police have seized drugs worth an estimated RM17.2 million and arrested two men in separate operations in Kuching and Limbang, dealing a significant blow to drug trafficking syndicates operating in Sarawak.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said the operations were conducted by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) Bukit Aman and NCID Sarawak on Sept 11 and Sept 14.
“In the first operation on Sept 11, police arrested a 39-year-old local man at a rented house in Kuching and seized 107.518kg of drugs estimated to be worth RM12.89 million.
“The seizure comprised 50.1kg of MDMA powder, 32.3kg of ketamine, 25kg of liquid MDMA and 0.118kg of Erimin 5 pills,” he told a press conference at Kuching Police Headquarters today.
Mohamad Zainal said the syndicate was believed to have been active since July this year, with the terrace house used to process and package the drugs as well as store them before distribution in the local market.
“It is not a lab and the suspect is allegedly a distributor,” he disclosed.
An initial urine screening of the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, while checks found that he had five previous records, with one involving a drug offence and four involving criminal offences.
The suspect was remanded for seven days from Sept 12 to Sept 19 to assist investigations.
In the second operation on Sept 14, the NCID of Limbang District Police Headquarters arrested a 23-year-old man at Jalan Mendamit, Limbang.
Police seized 84.07kg of drugs worth an estimated RM4.3 million, comprising 81.21kg of methamphetamine, 2.06kg of ketamine and 0.80kg of MDMA powder.
“The syndicate was believed to have been active since November 2025 and used four-wheel-drive vehicles to transport drug supplies from Miri to Sabah by road,” he said.
Police also seized a four-wheel-drive vehicle worth RM35,000 under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.
The suspect tested negative for drugs and had no previous criminal record. He was remanded for seven days from Sept 15 to Sept 22 to assist investigations.
Mohamad Zainal said both cases were being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
He said the total quantity of drugs seized in the two operations was estimated to have the potential to affect 484,848 drug users.
He described the two operations as significant successes in disrupting drug trafficking networks and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to intensifying enforcement through firm, aggressive, focused and high-impact operations.
“The NCID would continue efforts to detect, dismantle and cripple drug trafficking syndicates at every level,” he said.
Mohamad Zainal also urged members of the public to channel information on drug-related activities to the NCID hotline at 012-208 7222. — DayakDaily
