Marine police chase, open fire on 'tonto' vehicles and lorry smuggling cigarettes

New Straits Times

16-07-2025

TUMPAT: Marine police foiled an attempt to distribute smuggled cigarettes with the seizure of 114 boxes worth about RM2.3 million during a high-speed chase and shooting here yesterday.
No one was arrested in the 4am operation as several men managed to escape. A lorry used to transport the illicit cigarettes was seized in the operation.
Marine police Third Region commander Assistant Commissioner Zulafendy Hassan said a team from the Pengkalan Kubor base earlier spotted a three-tonne lorry carrying 114 boxes of cigarettes in Kampung Alor Mengkuang near Gelang Emas, Pasir Mas.
"While conducting surveillance, the officers spotted the suspicious lorry heading from Chabang Empat towards Kampung Ana.
"They then approached the driver and ordered the vehicle to stop, but the driver sped off recklessly, prompting a chase," he said.
During the chase, he added that the officers saw the lorry was escorted by two suspected tonto vehicles — a silver Honda CRV and a dark-coloured Proton Wira.
"The two cars aggressively attempted to block police pursuit by ramming and forcing marine police vehicles off the road.
"Fearing for their safety, our officers opened fire at the lorry and tonto vehicles' tyres, but the suspects continued driving," he said, adding that the chase lasted about 30 minutes from Tumpat to Pasir Mas.
He added that the driver then abandoned the lorry and fled before the vehicle crashed into a parking pole.
Upon inspection, police found the front left and rear tyres had been punctured.
"Upon further search on the lorry, they found 114 boxes of smuggled 'Zon King' brand white cigarettes containing 5,700 cartons or about 1.14 million sticks, believed to have been brought in from a neighbouring country," he added.
He said the seized goods and lorry had been taken to the marine police Region Three operations base in Pengkalan Kubor for further action.