Kelantan police to deploy more plainclothes units at Malaysia-Thai border
KOTA BARU: Police will strengthen their intelligence unit by deploying more plainclothes personnel to monitor and curb the movement of locals and foreigners attempting to cross the Malaysia-Thailand border via illegal routes.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the expanded unit, comprising personnel from the General Operations Force (GOF) and officers stationed at border police posts, is expected to begin operations as early as this week.
"This is part of our ongoing efforts to combat the entry of people through unauthorised border routes," he told reporters at the state police contingent headquarters' sacrificial ceremony here today.
Yusoff said members of the unit would patrol the border in plain clothes to avoid detection by smugglers and syndicates.
He added that discussions with the commander of the GOF's Southeast Brigade would be held soon to finalise operational details.
Kelantan shares a 105km land border with Thailand, which has long been used for smuggling and cross-border criminal activities.
In a related matter, Yusoff said police arrested 13 people, including a Thai woman, for illegally entering Kelantan via non-gazetted routes during the week before and after Aidiladha.
They were detained in separate operations in Tumpat and Rantau Panjang between May 31 and June 8.
"Ten were nabbed in the week leading up to Aidiladha (May 31 to June 6), while the remaining three were arrested on June 7 and 8.
"These people crossed into Kelantan via the Golok River and landed at several illegal jetties along the border," he said.
He added that some of the suspects had returned from entertainment activities in Thailand, while others had travelled for family reasons.
"I would like to emphasise once again that police will not tolerate anyone who violates the law, and firm action will be taken against those found committing such offences," he said.
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