Latest news with #Guanyinwang
New Straits Times
12-08-2025
- New Straits Times
Death sentence for trio in RM103mil drug haul
JOHOR BARU: The High Court here today sentenced three men to death for trafficking more than 1.48 tonnes of methamphetamine six years ago, part of what was then the country's largest drug haul. Judge Datuk Abu Bakar Katar handed down the sentence against Pang Ming Siong, 54; Cheng Foot Leong, 46; and Tok Chun Wei, 41, after ruling the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt at the close of their case. He said the 1,483,962.98g of drugs constituted a huge quantity, and the elaborate concealment in Chinese Guanyinwang tea packets sewn into gunny sacks and hidden in a disused fish pond far from public view were clear indications of an attempt to evade detection. "The court took into consideration the weight and manner of concealment, and finds those involved deserve the ultimate penalty. "All three accused were ordered to hang until death, with the execution date to be set," he said. The trio were found guilty of committing the offence at a fish pond in Jalan Tanah Merah, Taman Desa Cemerlang, at 7.30am on March 19, 2019. They were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2) and read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death sentence. Deputy public prosecutor Lydia Salleh urged the court to impose the maximum sentence, describing it as a "rarest of the rare" case given the massive drug volume. The bust, valued at RM103.2 million, was then Malaysia's largest meth seizure, involving 2.06 tonnes of the drug in 2,000 Chinese tea packets. The joint operation was conducted by the federal and Johor narcotics divisions, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Customs Department. The men were first charged on March 31, 2019, following the seizure reported on March 22 that year.
New Straits Times
29-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Foreigner caught with RM74,000 worth of syabu in Tawau drug smuggling attempt
TAWAU: A foreigner, believed to have been paid 15 million rupiah (approximately RM3,874) by a drug syndicate to smuggle narcotics via the old Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) jetty here, was arrested with more than two kilogrammes of syabu last Friday. The 22-year-old suspect, originally from Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, was apprehended by a team from the Tawau district police headquarters after he was seen behaving suspiciously along Jalan Pelabuhan at around 9.30am. District police chief Assistant Commissioner Jasmin Hussin said the arrest was made following intelligence and surveillance that led to the suspect's detection. He is believed to have entered the district illegally via an uncharted route on July 21. "A check on his backpack revealed two gold-coloured plastic packets labelled 'Guanyinwang' and 'Freeso Dried Durian'," he said. "Inside were two transparent packets containing crystalline substances believed to be syabu, weighing a total of 2,062 grams and valued at approximately RM74,500. "Interrogation revealed that the undocumented suspect had entered the district illegally for the first time and admitted to being paid by the syndicate to smuggle the drugs out of the country," he said at a press conference today. Jasmin added that the suspect has been remanded for seven days until Aug 2 to assist investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction. "Police are also actively tracking down others linked to the syndicate," he added. So far this year, Tawau police have seized more than 30 kilogrammes of syabu in a series of arrests involving individuals and drug trafficking syndicates.
New Straits Times
25-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Big drug bust in Tawau nets over 3kg of syabu and foreign man nabbed
TAWAU: Police arrested a foreign man and seized over 3kg of syabu worth RM105,000 near Kampung Indrasabah in a major drug bust. Tawau district police chief Assistant Commissioner Jasmin Hussin said the arrest was made around 3.30pm last Friday by a team from the Tawau District Police Headquarters (IPD) following a tip-off about drug distribution activities in the area. He said the suspect attempted to flee when approached by police and acted aggressively to avoid arrest, throwing a grey bag labelled "Onestop" onto the ground. "Further investigation revealed the bag contained three green packets of Guanyinwang branded tea. "Each packet held a transparent plastic bag filled with a substance believed to be syabu, weighing a total of 3,085.64 grammes," he said during a press conference today. He said the suspect attempted to flee when approached by police and acted aggressively to avoid arrest, throwing a grey bag labelled "Onestop" onto the ground. "Further investigation revealed the bag contained three green packets of Guanyinwang branded tea. "Each packet held a transparent plastic bag filled with a substance believed to be syabu, weighing a total of 3,085.64 grammes," he said during a press conference today. Jasmin said the suspect, believed to be in his 30s and working as a fisherman, did not possess valid identification documents. He also tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine. "The suspect has been remanded for seven days until June 28 to assist in investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. "Police are working to track down the drug distribution network involved and urge the public to come forward with any information related to drug abuse or trafficking activities," he added. Over 3kg of syabu can yield between 60,000 and 300,000 doses, enough to sustain thousands of users depending on dosage and frequency.
