KUALA NERANG: The Royal Malaysian Army Sixth Brigade foiled an attempt by a 22-year-old Volunteer Reserve Corp (Rela) member to smuggle 700kg of ketum leaves via the Malaysian-Thai border rat lane here yesterday.
An Army team which was patrolling the border flagged down Toyota Land Cruiser driven by the Rela member in a rubber estate heading towards the border fence about 2.45am.
The brigade's commander Brigadier General Abdul Aziz Ismail said the Bravo company from the 2nd Border Regiment team led by Cpl Sabran Latin decided to check the vehicle after sensing the man was behaving suspiciously.
“Upon inspection, the team found RM66,500 worth of ketum leaves in plastic sacks inside the vehicle,” he said, adding that the location where the man was apprehended was close to the border regiment's Sahara post.
Aziz said the case had been referred to the police for further action.
He said the seizure was the sixth made by the team since Oct 30.
He added the border regiment would beef up the patrol along the border to curb smuggling activities.