KUALA LUMPUR – Businessman Datuk Maslan Sani, 41, and 10 others have been charged for being members of organised crime syndicate dubbed “Geng Upik” at the Kota Kinabalu sessions court today.
They have been accused of committing the offence between 2015 and December 24, 2023 under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code and are liable to face a prison term of five to 20 years upon conviction.
The charges were read before judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim.
No plea is recorded as case mention is scheduled for March 1 before the case is transferred to the high court.
The other accused are Rahman Burijin, 44; Jaisalfian Jaineh @ Zaini, 45,; Mohd Fauzie Rablin, 33; Shahlan Shah Abdul Samad, 37; Datuk Maslan Sani, 41; Nelson Yen Yee Chung, 46; Mohd Faridzul Asmahadi, 31; Fazrul Bahar, 32; Alkan Abraham, 35; Mazlan Mahmud, 41; and Mahathir Jibarail, 49.
Dressed in regular clothes, they were brought in under heavy police security at about 8.20am.
In addition, a team of police officers from Bukit Aman is standing guard outside and inside the courthouse as part of the enhanced security measures.
It is reported that two roadblocks have also been set up near the court complex as early as 6am.
On December 26, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the “Datuk”, who was a patron of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), was arrested on Christmas night on suspicion of being a leader in Sabah’s largest drug syndicate.
“Probes found that one of the leaders, who is a 40-year-old businessman, was previously charged under Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1985. He was found to be patronising a Sabah NGO to conceal illegal activities.”
Investigations revealed that the syndicate, which has been active since 2015, obtains meth supplies from neighbouring states in the peninsula to be distributed to markets throughout Sabah, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
The case was being investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Police also found that the syndicate members own assets, including luxury cars, bungalows, 12 tourism businesses in the tourism, construction, petrochemical, oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors, a ferry, and a restaurant.
Others arrested were a 32-year-old site supervisor and a 45-year-old director of the restaurant chain, who are senior members of the syndicate.
A 34-year-old labourer who is the drug mule and two drug dealers aged 30 and 31 years old, respectively, who are also unemployed, were also arrested.
Also nabbed is a 48-year-old unemployed person who acts as an informant to monitor the activities of this drug syndicate.
A 44-year-old civil servant, a member of the enforcement agency believed to have played the role of a transporter for the syndicate, was also arrested. – January 22, 2024
