IPOH: An Iranian inmate at the Tapah Prison, serving a sentence for drug-related offences since 2018, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of possessing heroin, announced Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris.
“While prison officers were patrolling the Tapah Prison Hall, they observed the 39-year-old suspect sitting alone, suspiciously, facing the wall. He threw a red plastic bag on the floor as the officers approached.
“The bag had two clear plastic packets with a yellow substance suspected to be heroin, weighing 46 gms, and one clear plastic packet with a pink substance believed to be heroin, weighing about 30 gms,” he said during a press conference at the Perak Contingent Police Headquarters today.
He added that the value of the seized drugs is estimated at RM1,900 and could potentially serve 50 drug users.
Azizi said the inmate was convicted under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He also has four prior criminal records.
He noted that the investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the drugs and how it was smuggled into the prison.
“We will also investigate if this Iranian suspect might be connected to the recent case of smuggling drugs into the prison with a drone,” he added.
Last Friday, the police intercepted an attempt to smuggle drugs into Tapah Prison after discovering a drone on the roof of one of the blocks.
A laundry bag was found hanging from the drone containing three packets of white powder suspected to be heroin, weighing 122 gms, and two packets of crystalline substances suspected to be methamphetamine, weighing 12.9 gms.
