KOTA KINABALU: Five people, including a French woman, will face the death penalty after police found 36 cannabis trees and 500g of processed weed at two luxurious condominiums at Signal Hill here last month.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the raid at the two luxurious condominiums, which were converted into cannabis cultivation nurseries on Jan 29, saw police uncover 36 cannabis trees, 500g of packed processed weed and paraphernalia used in the tree planting and weed processing.

Hamza described the case, which involved the planting of cannabis trees within a condominium, as the first such case in Malaysia.

In the first raid at 11.30am, police raided a condominium and detained the French woman, in her 30s, and a local man aged 25.

“Twenty-nine trees were seized where 10 had been cut and believed to be processed.

“Following their arrest, police raided another unit at 1.10pm with a housemaid in it,” he told reporters at a press conference at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing on Saturday.

Hamza said police found seven trees, in which two were cut, and several packets containing processed cannabis.

In the second raid, police also arrested two local men aged 20 who entered the premises. Both suspects admitted to being the occupants of the unit, said Hamza.

The men and the French woman later tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol, a psychoactive compound in cannabis, he said, adding that the foreign woman holds a valid passport and had been staying in the country for more than a year.

“We believe the trees have been planted for almost four months already and they are 1.2 metres high.

“We are investigating where and how they got the seeds or plants. We have sent a sample to the Chemistry Department for further action,” said Hamza.

He added that police had classified the plants as ‘Grade A’ based on the way they were planted and the fertilisers used in the planting.

All the five suspects were inter-related and would be investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act which carries the death penalty, if convicted.

They were also being investigated under Section 6B for planting cannabis trees that carries a maximum fine of RM20,000 or maximum five years’ jail.

Also present at the press conference were Sabah Narcotics Department head Superintendent Abdul Rahim Dolmat and deputy city police chief Superintendent M. Chandra.