KOTA KINABALU: Eleven people, including a Datuk, were charged with being members of "the organised crime group "Gang Upik", reportedly Sabah's largest drug syndicate, at the Sessions Court in Kota Kinabalu today.
The accused were 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.
All were charged under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code and can be punished under the same section.
The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Nazran Mohd Sham before judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim.
However, no pleas were recorded from the 11, who were accused of committing the offence between 2015 and Dec 24 last year.
The case is scheduled for mention on March 1 before it is transferred to the High Court.
On Dec 25, police arrested a businessman with the title Datuk who led the largest drug distribution syndicate in Sabah through a series of raids conducted by federal police.
The 40-year-old man was said to have overseen a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to protect his illicit activities since 2015.
The syndicate was also found to be involved in money laundering through various luxury businesses operated by its members, including oil and gas companies and a chain of restaurants.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay had previously stated that the leader of the syndicate was among the 10 individuals arrested by federal Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) police and an Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) team in raids in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Semporna.
He had said since the arrest of the leader and members of the syndicate, police had seized various assets, including 22 bank accounts with frozen savings amounting to RM420,000, 18 luxury vehicles worth RM6.6 million, jewellery and watches worth about RM100,000, and cash amounting to RM35,000.