A man fled on foot after allegedly attempting to smuggle a Yamaha RXZ motorcycle from Thailand, abandoning the vehicle inside a Proton Gen-2 in a bushy area in Kampung To’ Deh yesterday.
The incident unfolded at about 5pm when personnel from the General Operations Force (PGA) Southeast Brigade spotted a suspiciously driven car near the Tok Mat illegal jetty while conducting patrols under Op Taring Wawasan Kelantan.
PGA Southeast Brigade commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the driver sped away from the illegal landing point towards Kampung To’ Deh after noticing the enforcement team.
“PGA personnel followed the vehicle before discovering that it had been abandoned in a bushy area in the village.
“An inspection found a Yamaha RXZ motorcycle estimated to be worth RM5,000 on the back seat of the car. However, a search of the surrounding area failed to locate the driver,” he said.
Ahmad Radzi said the motorcycle is believed to have been smuggled from Thailand after checks found that its engine number was not registered in Malaysia.
Further checks also revealed that the abandoned Proton Gen-2 belonged to a 37-year-old woman from Kampung Tanjung, Tumpat.
The seized car and motorcycle were subsequently handed over to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) in Rantau Panjang for further action under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
The seizure comes amid continued enforcement against the smuggling of used motorcycles from Thailand, particularly Yamaha RXZ models which remain popular among enthusiasts.
Kelantan Customs director Mohd Hisham Mohd Nor was previously reported as saying that 45 used motorcycles smuggled from Thailand had been seized during the first six months of this year.
Of the total, 25 were Yamaha RXZ motorcycles with an estimated value of RM3.6 million, including duties and taxes, highlighting the continued demand for the model among local enthusiasts.
