PENANG: Police found three tubes of heroin in the bra of a semi-nude woman found dead in an abandoned sauna room on the 11th floor of a hotel on Macalister Road here last night (Sept 25, 2006).

Northeast district police chief ACP Hamzah Md Jamil said the woman, identified as Chong Kim Lan, 40, of Burmah Road. She was believed to have died more than three days ago.

"We have yet to determine the cause of death and are classifying the case as sudden death based on the existing evidence," he said.

"There is no evidence to suggest any foul play. We will wait for the chemist's report which will be available in the next few days to determine whether she died of a drug overdose."

Hamzah said police had also learnt that Chong had a record for drug offences.

The body was found by one of the hotel's maintenance technicians inside an abandoned sauna room on the hotel's 11th floor at about 10.15pm.

"The technician was making an inspection on the floor as the hotel's hot water system was not working when he caught a stench," he said.

"Upon checking the room, he found the body clad only in a T-shirt on the floor.

"We found the victim's pants and underwear in the room."