MACHANG: Three men were arrested for attempting to smuggle tobacco products using a drone into the Machang Prison here on Dec 12.
The trio aged between 35 and 39 were arrested after Machang district criminal investigation division received a report involving a drone being flown above a compound near the prison at Jalan Kuing Indah, Kampung Pangkal Meleret here, at 1.05am.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun said the prison, which is equipped with a tracking device technology, detected the drone near the premises.
"The police deployed a team to the location before the three men sped off in a Honda CRV.
"A chase ensued between the police and the three men before they were arrested near the main Kuala Krai-Kota Baru road in Kampung Bukit Belah here," Muhamad Zaki said in a statement today.
He said police found five mobile phones, two units of power bank, a machete, 20 firecrackers, a type of dagger known as badik, and a roll of double tape upon checks in the sports utility vehicle (SUV).
Muhamad Zaki said police also found a RC123 drone remote control device, 13 packets of tobacco and 41 small compressed packages, believed to contain tobacco.
He added that all the items were confiscated under Section 447 of the Penal code, Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957 and Section 6 of the Corrosive Substances, Explosives and Dangerous Weapons Act 1958.
"All three men pleaded guilty when they were charged at the magistrate's court here on Dec 19 under Section 58(1) of the Prisons Act 1995, Rule 140 of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulations 2016 and Section 6 of the Corrosive Substances, Explosives and Dangerous Weapons Act 1957," he said.
He said one of the three men was sentenced to five years' imprisonment and one stroke of the rotan by the Sessions Court in Kota Baru near here on Dec 20 after he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of corrosive and explosive substances under Section 6 of the Corrosive, Explosive Substances and Dangerous Weapons Act 1957.
Muhamad Zaki, in the same statement, also reminded the public that flying a drone without a permit or permission from the Civil Aviation Department is an offence.
"It is an offence and the use of the device for criminal purposes is an offence that can be acted upon in terms of existing laws.
"We will not compromise with this legal violation and strict action will be taken accordingly," he said.