Sarawak police have uncovered the largest drug seizure in the state’s history earlier this month, with narcotics valued at approximately RM16.21 million confiscated in a single case.
State Police Commissioner Zainal Abdullah said the record-breaking seizure surpasses last year’s highest haul of RM8.53 million and involved two separate cases, with the first accounting for the bulk of the value.
In the first operation, police raided a homestay in Santubong on April 7, where they arrested a 41-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman believed to be working for a drug syndicate.
Authorities seized 107.5kg of MDMA, 1.28kg of ketamine, Erimin 5 pills, ecstasy pills and methamphetamine, along with equipment used for drug packaging and distribution.
Police estimated the drugs could have supplied nearly 17,000 users. The suspects were allegedly paid a monthly salary of RM3,000 plus RM5 per packet for their role in packaging and distributing the substances using homestays and WhatsApp-based orders.
Investigations revealed the syndicate is believed to have been active since early April, with efforts ongoing to track down other members. One of the suspects reportedly had prior drug-related offences, although both tested negative for drugs.
In a second case, police arrested two men aged 28 and 38 near Jalan Setia Raja in Kuching on April 19.
Officers seized 1,281 vape cartridges believed to contain liquid cannabis, weighing around 3.2kg and valued at RM576,450.
The suspects were believed to be runners and transporters, earning about RM8,000 per delivery and using homestays for storage while relying on courier services for distribution.
Both men had no previous criminal records and tested negative for drugs. Police also confiscated a vehicle worth approximately RM12,000 in the operation.
