A remand prisoner at the Bayan Lepas Police Station who had complained of stomach ache, died while being taken to the Penang Hospital last night.

Barat Daya District police chief Supt Lai Fah Hin said the 56-year-old man, who was detained on April 22 at Kampung Sungai Batu, Teluk Kumbar for a drug offence, was confirmed dead at 8.34pm.

“The man had 12 previous cases involving drug offences and the autopsy result revealed that the cause of death was a gastric ulcer,” he said when contacted in George Town today.  

He said the man was a hardcore drug addict and a remand order for him was obtained from the Balik Pulau magistrate’s court up to May 5 to assist in investigation on drug trafficking activities in Teluk Kumbar.

- Bernama