A suspected smuggler’s attempt to escape police pursuit ended when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a drainage ditch at Kampung Kok Bedullah here on Sunday.
The suspect had fled after being chased for about 2 kilometres before abandoning the vehicle and escaping on foot, leaving behind 200,000 sticks of white cigarettes believed to be untaxed and worth RM400,000.
Southeast Brigade General Operations Force (GOF) commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the incident occurred at around 2am when Strike Force personnel from Company C, 9th Battalion GOF Kuala Terengganu, were conducting motorcycle patrols under Op Taring Wawasan Kelantan at Kampung Geting.
He said the officers came across a silver Proton Preve behaving suspiciously and approached the vehicle for inspection.
“However, the male driver accelerated the vehicle to avoid being detained, resulting in a pursuit that lasted about 2 kilometres until Kampung Kok Bedullah.
“The vehicle later crashed into a drainage ditch before the suspect fled to a nearby area and could not be traced,” he said.
A search of the vehicle found several sacks containing boxes of white cigarettes believed to have been smuggled and not subjected to customs duties.
Ahmad Radzi said the seized items were handed over to the Kelantan Royal Malaysian Customs Department for further action under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967.
He added that authorities are currently tracking down the driver and identifying other individuals believed to be involved to assist investigations.
