RANTAU PANJANG: Every movement of personnel from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) is being closely monitored by 'tonto' (informers) of smugglers in the border areas, particularly in Rantau Panjang.
As soon as enforcement officers arrive at any petrol station around 8.30am, there are tonto who observe their movements to ensure that their smuggling activities of subsidised petrol remain undetected.
These tonto would inform the presence of personnel from KPDN via a WhatsApp group, indicating that the 'line is not clear'.
They will also provide information on the type of vehicles that the enforcement officers are using and the number of members on duty.
During this period, the smugglers will avoid petrol stations and hang out at nearby eateries first.
As soon as the enforcement officers' vehicles leave the station, the smugglers rush to the petrol station to fill up petrol or diesel.
These tonto, paid by the smuggling group, will constantly provide information throughout the day, from morning until evening.
The smuggling activities continue despite security forces informing that they are constantly monitoring the areas.
A smuggler known as Ahmad in his 40s said that every day the movements of KPDN officers will be closely monitored.
"From toilet breaks to stopping at eateries, all the information will be channeled to us (by tonto).
"We only need to monitor the WhatsApp group to ensure that this activity is not detected by the enforcement officers.
"In addition to tonto, petrol station workers also feed us with information on whether the situation at that time is 'clear' or otherwise," he said.
Meanwhile, Kelantan KPDN director Azman Ismail admitted that their presence at the border is being monitored by a group of smugglers.
"We are aware of the presence of 'spies' (tonto) who watch every step of the officers on duty. The group of smugglers are quite cunning and they use all tactics or means to ensure that their activities run smoothly.
"But, at the same time, we also have our own way and will continue to monitor and impose strict measures on smugglers of subsidised petrol," he said.
Earlier, Harian Metro reported that petrol siphoning using Malaysian vehicles and registration numbers has become the latest tactic employed by petrol smuggling syndicates before transporting the supplies to Thailand.
This tactic has been said to be active since the beginning of this year, with many of those involved, predominantly Thai nationals, utilising Proton Waja cars, purportedly due to their larger petrol tanks compared to other vehicles.
They are even willing to purchase vehicles from Malaysia solely for this purpose, with each syndicate owning at least three vehicles for petrol smuggling activities.
A three-day survey by Harian Metro in the Rantau Panjang border area found that after the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security (ICQS) Complex opened, over 30 Proton Waja cars from Thailand entered Rantau Panjang.