KANGAR: Police discovered 56 packets of marijuana in the backseat of a car left abandoned after it skid into a mango orchard near Bukit Chabang, Padang Besar, last Thursday.
Perlis police chief Datuk Muhammad Abdul Halim today said the packets, worth RM173,600, were discovered at 7.30pm when General Operations Force Northern Brigade surveillance cameras detected two men behaving suspiciously on the Padang Besar security route near Kampung Kolam in Padang Besar.
"The location in question is at the Malaysian-Thai border security fence next to Padang Besar, Thailand.
"During the surveillance, some people were seen putting packets into a car, believed to have just been thrown from a neighbouring country.
"(And) when the brigade team members did an investigation at the location, they discovered that the car had left the scene.
"However, about 8.50am, a patrol car from the Padang Besar police headquarters received information from the public about a Honda City in that area."
He said this at the state police contingent headquarters.
He added that upon inspection, police discovered three sacks of marijuana in the backseat of the car.
"We believe that the marijuana is related to an incident in the morning.
"The marijuana is believed to have been obtained from a neighbouring country for distribution in our country."
Muhammad added that the suspects had fled and left the car behind as the engine was damaged.
He said the car's bumper had detached after the driver had failed to control the car and driven into a ditch at the orchard.
"The marijuana seized can be used by up to 280,000 drug users. Efforts to catch the suspects are underway."