KANGAR: Police believe the Thai woman abducted by three individuals, including another woman, from Gunung Keriang, Kedah to Jejawi, Arau last Saturday may be involved in drug-related debts.
Arau district police chief Superintendent Ahmad Mohsin Md Rodi said the 36-year-old victim is believed to know all three suspects, aged 30, 38 and 39. The main suspect is believed to be an unemployed man.
"Initial investigation indicates that the victim, who lives in Alor Star, was abducted with her 18-year-old boyfriend in Gunung Keriang, Alor Star, likely due to a debt exceeding RM2,000.
"The debt is also believed to be related to drug transactions between the victim and the suspects, with the possibility that the victim purchased or intended to purchase illegal items from the suspects but failed to pay for them," he said at a press conference today (June 11).
Mohsin said that the main suspect was currently in remand at the Arau district police headquarters until this Friday for investigation related to drug distribution.
"We are investigating whether this suspect is actively involved in drug distribution and possession around Arau, given his 16 criminal records related to drugs and two other criminal records.
"The other suspects, including the victim and her boyfriend, have been handed over to the Kota Setar district police headquarters as the abduction occurred in Kota Setar," he said.
Last Saturday (June 8), police solved an abduction case in less than 24 hours by rescuing a Thai woman abducted by three individuals, including another woman, in Gunung Keriang, Kedah, after raiding a guesthouse in Jejawi, Arau.
The incident began when the victim, who resides in Alor Star, was abducted with her boyfriend at a location in Gunung Keriang, Kedah early in the morning.
The victims were then taken by the suspects to a room in a guesthouse on Jalan Jejawi Sena, Taman Utara Jejawi, Arau, where they were held.
The victim's boyfriend was released around 1pm. He only contacted the police at 7.45pm to report the incident.
Police subsequently raided the guesthouse to rescue the victim and arrested the suspects.
During the raid, police found 14 clear plastic packets containing a powder suspected to be methamphetamine weighing 37.03 grammes and five clear plastic packets containing a powder suspected to be heroin weighing approximately 37.05 grammes, worth about RM4,500, in a pink bag hidden behind the air conditioner compressor of the guesthouse.