TUMPAT: Smuggling rings along the Kelantan-Thai border are employing a clandestine fleet of "kereta sakit" (sick cars) to facilitate their illicit trade, as revealed by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
The ministry's state director Azman Ismail revealed that these vehicles, including aging models like the Proton Iswara, Proton Waja, and Nissan Sunny, are instrumental in the smuggling of diesel and petrol.
In their operations, particularly Op Tiris, he said smugglers utilise these vehicles to transport fuel from illegal jetties along the border to Thailand.
"Smugglers prefer to use old vehicles due to their robustness and speed, with many of them modified to carry larger fuel loads across the border," he said.
The epicenter of these smuggling activities, he said, is noted to be in the Rantau Panjang and Pengkalan Kubor areas.
Further compounding the issue, Azman highlighted that certain workshop owners have been complicit in these smuggling activities by facilitating the modification of vehicles.
"We have found that at least two workshop owners have been in cahoots with these smugglers," he said.
Azman also said Op Khas Tapis 2024 has resulted in the arrest of 40 people, primarily smugglers, since the start of the year.
Seizures during this operation included Malaysian-controlled items valued at RM155,000.
He added that vehicles used in smuggling, with an estimated worth of nearly RM645,000, were seized and immobilised.