Kota Kinabalu: Recent videos of former Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay on his time as narcotics director indicated the severity of Sabah’s drug problem.
Captions on the videos said Ayob shared his experience at the Bicara Tokoh Programme in Kuala Lumpur, where he said leaders must take calculated risks.
Snippets of the programme have since gone viral since Tuesday.
A total of RM263 million worth of drugs of mainly syabu (methamphetamine) were seized in Sabah from January to June this year, according to police records, while known seizures by the Customs Department are recorded at RM18 million. In the video, Ayob recounted how a Sabah Deputy Minister urged him to take action against a certain individual when he became Director of the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department.
“If you do not take action against him, Sabah will become Colombia,” Ayob quoted the Deputy Minister as saying.
Colombia is widely associated with the drug trade, having become the world’s leading producer and exporter of cocaine in the late 20th century. Ayob also said a special strike team was secretly flown to Sabah on a Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft to prevent leaks.
The operation led to the arrest and conviction of a Sabahan from the east coast who is believed to fund a political party.
However, the person was only jailed for being a member of an organised crime group and not for drugs. The person is now facing money-laundering charges and the case is ongoing.
Ayob retired on July 26, 2026 after nearly 35 years serving the police force since 1991.
Daily Express has reported numerous drug seizures in Sabah over the years, some worth millions of ringgits, showing how big the problem is.
In July, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said Sabah police arrested 13,298 people for various offences and seized drugs worth RM263.82 million in the first six months this year.
The arrests were made through operations by the Criminal Investigation Department, Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department and Commercial Crime Investigation Department statewide.
The Narcotics Department also seized about 3.7 tonnes of drugs and arrested more than 30 people linked to the cases.
In February, Daily Express reported that police crippled what is believed to be the largest international drug syndicate operating in Sabah in the past decade, seizing more than three tonnes of narcotics with an estimated combined value of RM174 million under Op Coleoptera.
The seizure was announced by Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail at a media conference held at the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters.
Also in February, police crippled a major drug distribution syndicate with the seizure of 537.804kg of various drugs worth RM69.6 million in a series of operations in Penampang under Op Bayu 2.
Then in September, police seized more than 100 kg of various drugs worth RM6.14 million in three operations in Kudat, Papar and Penampang.
Drug seizures were also recorded by the Sabah Customs this year. In April, more than 300 kg of drugs worth RM15 million were seized by the Customs Department during an inspection of a container at Sepanggar Port.
In May, Sabah Customs busted a drug syndicate using airlines and courier services to smuggle illicit substances into the State, seizing over 61kg of drugs worth more than RM3 million in raids at the Tawau International Airport and a warehouse.
