KOTA BARU: Nine smuggled cattle worth RM54,000 were seized in the latest operation codenamed 'Ops Benteng' by the General Operations Force (GOF) at a district bordering Thailand recently.
However, no one was arrested in the operation carried out at the Pos Rela illegal jetty in Pasir Mas on Thursday.
GOF Seventh battalion commanding officer, Superintendent Azhari Nusi said a GOF team was on routine checks along the area when they spotted several men pushing a boat crossing the Golok river about 4am.
"There were several heads of cattle inside the boats at that time, believed to be smuggled from the neighbouring country.
"Seeing the GOF approaching, the men suspected to be smugglers, escaped on foot," he said.
Azhari said initial investigations showed that the cattle would be sold to local suppliers at the price of RM6,000 each.
"Our investigation also showed that smugglers had changed their tactics in bringing smuggled cattle into the state.
"Lately, they move early in the morning or before Suboh prayers to avoid being detected by the border enforcement," he said.
He said the cattle was handed over to the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Service Department (Maqis) for further investigation.