RANTAU PANJANG: The increasing number of arrests due to smuggling activities along the Kelantan-Thailand border has been attributed to the use of drones by the authorities.
General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Hasan Basri Ahmad Safar said the use of drones also helped save manpower and allowed the authorities to carry out enforcement activities more effectively.
"There are many thick bushes along the border, with isolated areas that are not accessible even to four-wheel-drive vehicles. In this regard, the drone is able to facilitate surveillance," he said.
Hasan Basri said a series of Op Benteng operations last year saw 696 people, including 72 women, arrested for smuggling activities.
They were nabbed by GOF members at several locations along the border area.
"The Southeast Brigade last year recorded 800 smuggling cases involving the seizure of RM60.7 million goods, an increase of 52 per cent (cases) compared to 2019.
"In 2019, only 526 smuggling cases were recorded, with goods seized worth almost RM30 million," he said after witnessing the handing over of border control between GOF Ninth Battalion and Eighth Battalion at its tactical base here today.
The GOF Ninth Battalion was represented by its commanding officer, Superintendent Nor Azizan Yusof, while Superintendent Muhammad Shamsuddin represented the Eighth Battalion as its commanding officer.
Hasan Basri said drugs valued at RM19.8 million led the list of seizures by the brigade last year, followed by essential items and contraband (RM19.7 million) and frozen chicken and other frozen items (RM6.5 million).
During Op Benteng, he said, 137 illegal immigrants, mostly from Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar, were also detained.
"Along with the illegal immigrants, we also detained 18 tekong, 15 of whom were Malaysians, harbouring the illegals," he added.
Hasan Basri later demonstrated the use of a drone to members of the media, saying that the brigade had been allocated one drone to be used in their operations.
The China-made drone worth about RM170,000 can fly up to 500m high.