Malaysian suspect arrested with 102kg syabu in Brunei was en route to Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR: The man arrested with more than 100kg of syabu at the Brunei-Miri border in Sarawak on Oct 31 was a Malaysian believed to be travelling to Sabah.

Federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the 46-year-old suspect was from Miri, Sarawak, and had two previous criminal records.

"Police received information from Brunei's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) regarding the arrest of a Malaysian man by Brunei Customs at the Sungai Tujoh Control Post.

"Preliminary investigations based on information from the NCB found that the suspect was arrested while entering Brunei from Miri, Sarawak," he said when contacted.

Hussein said information from the Brunei authorities indicated that the suspect was believed to have used the country as a transit route before re-entering Malaysia.

"The suspect was expected to travel through Kuala Belait, Seria, Tutong and Bandar Seri Begawan before heading to Temburong via the Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge.

"He was then expected to re-enter Sarawak through Labu-Mengkalap before heading to Sabah via the Merapok-Sindumin route," he said.

He said the seized drugs, believed to be syabu, weighed an estimated 100kg and were worth about RM5 million.

Hussein said the department would continue intelligence cooperation with the NCB to identify the source of the drugs and possible links to syndicate networks in Malaysia.

"The department will continue intelligence coordination and cooperation with the NCB to obtain information on the source of the drugs.

"This cooperation is also aimed at identifying the possible involvement of individuals or drug trafficking syndicate networks linked to Malaysia," he said.

Earlier, Brunei authorities reported the seizure of 102.19kg of syabu concealed in 100 tea packets at the Sungai Tujoh Control Post along the Brunei-Miri border.

The drugs were estimated to be worth at least BND2.8 million, making it the largest drug seizure recorded at the control post.

Besides syabu, Brunei authorities also seized four Erimin 5 pills, RM1,180, S$10, BND10 and 500 baht in cash, two mobile phones and a vehicle believed to have been used in the operation.