Red-eye flight ruse fails
SHAH ALAM: Two men carrying various drugs thought they could evade police detection by taking an early morning flight to Sibu, but their scheme failed when they were caught before they boarded their plane at KLIA2.

With the arrest of the 29-year-old local and 43-year-old Indonesian, and the seizure of RM1.76mil worth of drugs from the duo as well as at another location later, police believe they have busted a drug syndicate that targeted the Sarawak market.

Selangor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk S. Sasikala Devi said the suspects were picked up at about 4am on April 22 as they were attempting to board their flight.

The drugs were found in a suitcase and a backpack.

“Some 7kg of methamphetamine, 5.9kg of Erimin 5 pills and 61g of Ecstasy were kept in black plastic bags in their luggage.

“We believe they were transporting the drugs to Sibu,” she told a press conference at the Selangor police headquarters here yesterday.

Further investigation led police to a condominium in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, where more drugs were seized, she added.

“Some 9kg of Erimin 5 pills and 169.65g of ketamine were stored at the condo.

“The drugs seized at the airport and the condominium are worth RM1.76mil,” she said, adding that the police also seized RM31,077 worth of the suspects’ assets.

One of the suspects, said DCP Sasikala, has a criminal record with four offences, and both tested positive for drugs.

She said the syndicate is believed to have been operating for about four months.

“They catered for the Sarawak market by transporting drugs there by flight,” she said.

Initial investigations also revealed that the suspects had chosen the early flight thinking they could slip away unnoticed, she said.

“More than 22kg of drugs could have been supplied to 110,290 drug users,” DCP Sasikala said.

“We are tracking down the remaining members of the syndicate and trying to uncover the source of the drugs.”

Both suspects have been remanded until Sunday.

DCP Sasikala urged those with information on criminal activities, especially drug-related ones, to contact the police.

“We need the cooperation of the public in the war on drugs,” she said.

On a separate matter, DCP Sasikala said the police have yet to identify the owner of the over RM500,000 in cash found in a suitcase at a shopping mall in Damansara, Selangor, on March 20.

The forensics team has not made any conclusive findings based on the fingerprints on the bag, she said.

“And we are still ascertaining the source of the cash.

“We have recorded statements from 10 individuals including the man who claimed the money was his.

“Allow us time to get to the bottom of the matter.

“There is no time limit for us to return the cash thus we need to verify its source and rightful owner,” she added.
Drug Bust,Sarawak,S. Sasikala Devi
SHAH ALAM: Two men carrying various drugs thought they could evade police detection by taking an early morning flight to Sibu, but their scheme failed when they were caught before they boarded their plane at KLIA2.