Six locals nabbed in Sibu drug operations

SIBU (March 11): Police arrested six individuals in separate drug-related operations carried out by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division of the Sibu District Police Headquarters yesterday.

Acting Sibu police chief Supt Boniface Bajai said a 34-year-old local man was detained during an operation on March 10 after police discovered a transparent plastic packet containing crystalline substances suspected to be methamphetamine.

“Initial urine screening conducted on the suspect returned positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine. Further checks also revealed that the suspect has six previous drug-related offences,” he said in a statement.

Boniface added that the suspect was arrested under Section 12(2) and Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and will be remanded to assist with investigations.

In a separate operation, the narcotics team also arrested four local men and one local woman aged between 26 and 43 after urine tests found all five of them positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine.

They are being investigated under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Boniface explained that offences under Section 12(3) of the Act carry a penalty of a fine not exceeding RM100,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both upon conviction.

Meanwhile, offences under Section 15(1)(a) of the same Act are punishable with a fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both, and may also include a two-year supervision order under Section 38B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

He stressed that the police, particularly the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, will continue intensifying efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse.

“The police welcome members of the public who have information related to drug activities to come forward and channel the information through the Narcotics hotline at 012-2087222 (Bukit Aman) or 017-5922111 (Sarawak),” he added.