Bandar Seri Begawan - Three local men and a local woman may face the death penalty if convicted of distributing Methamphetamine or 'Syabu' after the four suspects were caught with more than 50 grammes of it in two separate raids.

The first raid found drugs believed to be Syabu weighing around 63.5 grammes and worth about S45,285.99 in the black market, while the second raid found drugs believed to be Syabu weighing around 81.55 grammes with an estimated black market value of $58,250.35.

Under Chapter 27 of the Drug Misuse Act that involves the offence of distribution and possession of drugs with the aim of distribution, if found guilty of distributing Syabu weighing more than 50 grammes, the offender will face a mandatory death sentence.

According to the press statement from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the enforcement personnel involved caught a couple aged 37 and 27 years old in the first raid after they both sped off in their vehicle. Driving in fast speed, the suspects could have also endangered other road users.

However, the enforcement personnel from NCB managed to catch up with the suspects' vehicle and to halt the car in the vicinity of Jalan Bengkurong Masin. From a search on the couple, a total of $4,060 cash were found, together with drugs believed to be Syabu weighing around 63.5 grammes.

From the _first operation, the enforcement personnel from NCB then detained two men believed to be affiliated .with the earlier couple. Both men, aged 35 and 45 years old, were arrested in a guest house also in the area of Jalan Bengkurong Masin.

In a bid to escape, the duo tried to run over the officers from NCB in the operation. After the suspects were caught, the officers carried out a search and found $10,766 believed to be proceeds from the sales of drugs and also drugs believed to be Syabu weighing around 81.55 grammes.

NCB seeks the cooperation of the public in providing any information relating to the misuse of drugs by calling 2448877 (during office hours) or the hotline 8777444 (after office hours).

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin