KUALA LUMPUR: Police have smashed Sabah's biggest drug ring with the arrest of a Datuk, who is also the patron of a non-governmental (NGO) organisation.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the 'Datuk' was among the 10 syndicate members arrested in a special operation between the Bukit Aman Narcotics department and the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) last night.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate which has been active since 2015 is the biggest drug syndicate in Sabah and has an international and local distribution network.
A 44-year old enforcement officer who is the transporter for the syndicate was also detained.
Two individuals, a site supervisor (32 years old) and a managing director (45 years old) of a restaurant chain who managed the financial aspects of the syndicate were also detained.
The operation was the first drug bust conducted under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) for organised crime and investigated under Section 130V of the Penal Code for organised crime.
In this operation, several series of raids were carried out simultaneously around Kota Kinabalu and the East Coast of Sabah which includes Tawau and Semporna.
Ayob said no drug was seized in the operation adding that investigations are still ongoing.
"The leader, who is a 40-year-old businessman, was previously charged under Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1985. He is also a patron for an NGO to conceal illicit activities.
"The police have detected that the syndicate members have various assets including luxury cars, bungalows, 12 businesses in the tourism, construction, petrochemical, oil and gas and manufacturing sectors, a ferry and a restaurant.
"The investigation is ongoing and there are efforts to confiscate proceeds from illegal activities owned by the syndicate members," he said at a special press conference at Bukit Aman, here, today.
Ayob said the syndicate who obtained meth supplies from neighbouring countries in the Peninsula would be smuggled to markets throughout Sabah through drug mules using commercial airlines and sea cargo shipments.
The drug supplies will be stored in Sabah before being distributed to dealers before being smuggled to buyers in Indonesia and the Philippines.
"All the detainees are investigated under Section 130V of the Penal Code and Sosma. It is investigated under Sosma to allow police to investigate the crime as a whole.
"It is also being investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 to forfeit the ownership of their properties.
"At the same time, the police are also investigating the involvement of the syndicate for the smuggling of contrabands and subsidised items to Indonesia and the Philippines," he said.
Others who were nabbed include a 36 year-old businessman and a 48-year-old personal assistant who are senior members of the syndicate, a 34-year-old labourer who is the drug mule and two drug dealers aged 30 and 31 years old respectively who are also unemployed.
A 48-year-old unemployed informer was also detained.