RM3.3mil Erimin 5 haul: Two men arrested at Kuching airport

KUCHING: Police seized 32.73kg of Erimin 5 pills worth RM3.3 million and arrested two men at Kuching International Airport on Sept 28.

Acting Sarawak police commissioner, Deputy Commissioner Saifullizan Ishak said the suspects, aged 25 and 39, were from Miri and were arrested by a Narcotics Crime Investigation Department team at the airport's arrival hall.

Initial investigations found that the men had been active since August, sourcing drugs from Johor Baru and transporting them to Kuching on domestic flights for distribution in the city.

"Both suspects flew from Senai Airport in Johor and received RM5,000 each for every delivery.

"Police believe the syndicate is newly established, as both suspects admitted this was their second delivery. Their first shipment was successful," he told a press conference at the Sarawak police headquarters today.

Saifullizan said a urine screening test found that the 25-year-old suspect was positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine and benzodiazepine, while the other suspect tested negative.

Background checks found that the younger suspect had three previous records, including one drug-related offence and two criminal offences, while the older suspect had two criminal records.

Both men were remanded for eight days from Sept 30 to Oct 7 before being charged at the Kuching magistrate's court on Oct 7 under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Saifullizan said the offence carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and at least 12 strokes of the rotan if the death penalty is not imposed.

He added that police had identified the person believed to have hired the two suspects and were tracking the individual to assist in investigations.

In a separate case, Saifullizan said police were seeking eight people to assist in investigations into arson cases involving convenience stores in several districts across Sarawak. Five men have been arrested so far.