KUCHING, Oct 16 — A 17-year-old female student was among five locals arrested by the police following the discovery of 42.2 kilogrammes (kg) of syabu valued at RM1.4 million in a hotel room here on October 12.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said the drugs, smuggled in as Chinese tea packages, were obtained from their accomplices in Peninsular Malaysia.

"The suspects comprising three men and two women aged between 17 and 22, were from Kuching. They would be remanded from October 13 to October 20, to assist investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

"Two individuals, pretending to be couriers had smuggled these drugs from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching via airplane. The drugs were believed to be for markets in Kuching, Miri, and Bintulu,” he told a press conference at the State Police Contingent Headquarters here today.

According to Mohd Azman, all the suspects had voluntarily participated in the illegal activity and they were arrested in raids around Bintawa and Kuching on the same day.

"A Perodua Aruz car estimated to be worth RM50,000 was also seized. One of the arrested suspects has two drug-related records under Section 39B and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, as well as one record under Section 4(1)(c) of Common Gaming Houses Act 1953,” he said.

Mohd Azman said the seizure was the largest in the fourth series of Op Tapis Khas held from October 10-12. Throughout the Op tapis Khas series conducted since January, Sarawak police successfully seized various types of drugs weighing 85.17 kg, and arrested 1,332 individuals, he added. — Bernama