KUALA LUMPUR: A 31-year-old armed robber was killed following a shootout with police in Besut, Terengganu.
The suspect who was driving a four-wheel drive in Jalan Seberang Jerteh, Kuala Besut, was spotted by police in an operation codenamed Ops Laras at about 2.20am yesterday.
A Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team then stopped the vehicle near the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Gong Kedak.
Terengganu police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairudin said instead of cooperating, the suspect fired three shots at the police, forcing them to return fire.
“Once the shootout ceased, the police checked the vehicle and discovered the victim had been killed.
“Further checks revealed a silver pistol with bullets on the vehicle floor on the driver’s side.
“Two packages filled with pil kuda (yaba pill) and syabu worth RM29,000 were also seized,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Initial investigation revealed the suspect had a criminal record with seven priors, including for armed robbery, criminal intimidation and house break-ins, he said.
“The suspect was from Pasir Puteh, Kelantan.
“We believe he was involved in a drug syndicate. The drugs found in his car were likely intended for the local market.”
The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, DCP Khairi said.
“We urge those with information on the incident to contact investigating officer Insp Mohamad Effie Ezral Mohd Izham at 014-805 2884 or the nearest police station,” he said.
The latest incident came after a shooting in Desa Vista, Sepang in Selangor, where three foreign robbers were killed.
During the incident on Friday morning, the suspects, who were armed with machetes, tried to attack a CID team, forcing them to fire.
The suspects were responsible for 17 robberies and house break-in cases in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.
A video showing four robbers breaking into a house in Desa Vita, Sepang, before three of them were gunned down, has also gone viral on social media.
Based on CCTV footage, the suspects were seen entering the house through the back fence at 1.41am.
However, all four of them fled the scene when the alarm was triggered, after barely a minute at the residence.
