Police have dismantled what is believed to be the largest drug trafficking syndicate in Sabah’s history, seizing more than three tonnes of narcotics valued at over RM240 million through two major integrated operations.
Inspector-General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail said the massive haul was the result of Op Coleoptera conducted on 20 and 21 January, followed by Op Bayu 2 on 5 February.
The operations were spearheaded by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) at Bukit Aman, working alongside the Sabah Criminal Investigation Department and several enforcement agencies. Raids were carried out across Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Sepanggar, with additional enforcement action in Selangor.
Six Containers Seized At Major Ports
Under Op Coleoptera, the Royal Malaysia Police, in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency and the Malaysian Port Authority, intercepted six shipping containers at Teluk Sepanggar Port in Kota Kinabalu and Port Klang in Selangor.
Eight suspects aged between 23 and 45 were arrested during the coordinated raids. Authorities believe the syndicate was operating an international drug trafficking network spanning the South China Sea, using maritime routes as its primary transport channel.
The scale of the seizure underscores the growing sophistication of organised crime syndicates exploiting regional trade routes for illicit gain, a challenge enforcement agencies continue to confront with heightened vigilance.
Massive Quantities Of Methamphetamine And Ecstasy
Police confiscated 3,043.5 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, 102.5kg of ketamine, 90kg of ecstasy pills, four kilogrammes of vape liquid suspected to contain cocaine, and 2.6kg of Erimin 5 pills.
Mohd Khalid said the total value of the drugs ran into hundreds of millions of ringgit. If successfully distributed, the narcotics could have affected an estimated 16 million individuals, illustrating the potentially devastating social consequences of the syndicate’s activities.
The first raid under Op Coleoptera was conducted at a residence in Penampang on 20 January, leading to the arrest of two local men. This was followed by six further raids in Penampang, Inanam, Teluk Sepanggar Container Port and Port Klang.
