KOTA BARU: More than 1,000kg of rice suspected to have been smuggled from Thailand was seized following a raid in Kampung Kubang Panjang, Tumpat.
The seizure, valued at RM4,864, was made during Ops Taring Wawasan Kelantan at about 4pm on Sunday after General Operations Force (GOF) personnel spotted a suspicious van while patrolling the Kota Baru-Pengkalan Kubor route.
GOF Southeast Brigade Commander Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the van driver allegedly attempted to flee upon noticing the police, but the vehicle subsequently skidded in the Kampung Kubang Panjang area.
An inspection of the van uncovered 49 sacks of rice of various brands, comprising 750kg bearing the Mangga label, 250kg with the Nangka label, 120kg with the Serindit label, 72kg with the Angsa Mas label and 24kg with the Pisang label.
“A 35-year-old local man, who was driving the van, was detained for investigation,” he said in a statement.
Initial investigations revealed that the rice was believed to have been brought in from Thailand through the illegal Pohon Tar base in Kuala Jambu before being transported to Pasir Puteh.
