Sabah police seize 39.5kg of methamphetamine hidden inside hollowed-out cutting boards, arresting two suspects in a major drug bust.
KOTA KINABALU: Police have foiled a drug smuggling operation worth RM1.26 million into Sabah using a novel concealment method.
The raid on a house in Taman Donggongon, Penampang on Tuesday night led to the seizure of 39.5 kilogrammes of methamphetamine.
Two local men, aged 28 and 29, were arrested in connection with the bust.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the suspects’ modus operandi involved hiding drugs inside cutting boards, known locally as ‘sasaban’.
“The result of public information, the raid carried out on a house revealed 40 transparent plastic bags containing clear crystal chunks suspected to be methamphetamine or crystal meth, hidden inside the cutting boards,” he said.
He explained the drugs were concealed by hollowing out the middle of the boards before sealing them again.
This tactic was used to avoid detection by authorities during routine cargo inspections.
The suspects, who are from Kuala Lumpur, were responsible for collecting the items from a delivery company.
Their role was to then distribute the drugs to the local market.
Jauteh said the total amount of drugs seized could supply about 160,000 users for a single use.
He believes the drugs were intended for distribution within the state of Sabah.
The suspects have been remanded until January 14 to assist with the investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
