TUMPAT: The General Operations Force (GOF) detained a man suspected to be tekong darat (a name given by locals to those harbouring illegal foreigners) and detained seven foreigners here yesterday.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun said the suspect was arrested after his car skidded at Kampung Morak near Palekbang following a high-speed chase with GOF members.
He said the drama began when the GOF members of the Seventh battalion spotted a suspected car when it passed Tumpat health clinic about 6.50pm.
"The GOF members then decided to follow the car and directed its driver to stop but he refused.
"Instead of stopping, he sped off in the car heading toward Palekbang.
"During the high-speed chase, the officers fired two shots at the car's tyres after the driver tried to reverse his car to ram the officer's car.
"After being shot in its tyres, the suspect's car then skidded and stopped at the road shoulder. Upon inspection, the GOF members found seven foreigners inside the car," he said in a statement.
Zaki said the foreigners including two women, from Myanmar and Bangladesh, all with no valid travel documents.
"They later detained the 23-year-old local who had two previous crime records. Also seized from the suspect was a small plastic packet containing methamphetamine pills," he added.
On another development, Tumpat police have arrested a man in possession of syabu worth RM18,300 yesterday.
District police chief, Assistant Commissioner Amran Dollah said the suspect was nabbed in front of a house in Kampung Geting about 11.30am.
"The suspect who has five previous records and tested positive for drugs, had been remanded for seven days to assist police investigation into the case," he said in a statement.