Recent Kota Sentosa syabu bust ‘historic' — Minister

Borneo Post

3 days ago

Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah
KUCHING (July 29): Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah regarded the latest seizure of 83kg of syabu, worth RM3.07 million, in Kota Sentosa here as 'historic'.
'The collaboration of Bukit Aman (federal), Sarawak Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) and the Sarawak Police Contingent (IPK) was 'historic', as they succesfully detained two suspects and seized the syabu – the biggest drug bust for 2025,' she told The Borneo Post today.
Adding on, the minister said the magnitude of the impact from such drug abuse could have gone worse if the seizure did not happen.
'Therefore, I can say that the seizure was a great success, achieved by the NCID and Sarawak police,' she said.
Moreover, Fatimah also pointed out NCID Sarawak as being a member of her ministry's One Stop Committee (OSC)-Sarawak Overcoming Drug and Substance Issues (MIDS).
OSC-MIDS.
'Among the ways to combat the drug menace are to stop the supplies, and also promote advocacy on drug prevention by the enforcement and rehabilitation agencies,' said the minister, who chairs the OSC-MIDS.
Additionally, she said the OSC-MIDS could also be formed at divisional, district and community levels.
'At the community level, the OSC-MIDS is headed by Penghulu Tan Sri Ayub Khan. When he (Ayub) was director of Bukit Aman NCID, he praised Sarawak for having a platform that enabled the integrated collaboration among the agencies to combat drug menace.
'He also praised the state government for allocating funds to purchase relevant equipment and establish facilities meant to contribute towards the effectiveness of OSC-MIDS.
'He even said other states should emulate the Sarawak government in the drug prevention and fighting.'
In a press conference on Monday, Bukit Aman NCID director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the raid conducted on July 19 at 8.50pm, resulted in the police arresting two suspects – aged 25 and 27 – believed to be running drug-trafficking in Kota Sentosa.
The police found a large black bag weighing 83kg, containing 80 plastic tea packages – each filled with crystalline substance believed to be syabu, amounting to a street price of RM3.07 million.
Hussein said the syndicate had been active since early 2025, with their modus operandi involving placing drug-filled vehicles at designated locations with the doors left unlocked so that potential buyers could retrieve the drugs directly from the vehicles without any physical handover.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment with no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.
Adding on, Hussein also said the drugs could have originated from Peninsular Malaysia and were transported to Sarawak via air routes.
'Intelligence suggests that the consignment is intended for distribution in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
'As the drugs are intended for both local consumption and transit to neighbouring countries, police are identifying the parties responsible for bringing them from Peninsular Malaysia to Kuching, as well as those involved in selling them to the arrested suspects. drug abuse fatimah abdullah lead seizure