RANTAU PANJANG: Two "tekong darat" (name given to locals harbouring illegal immigrants) were among 39 men detained at the Kelantan-Thai border recently.
The 39 were nabbed in a series of Ops Benteng operations conducted by the General Operations Force (GOF) Eighth Battalion.
The battalion assistant commanding officer Deputy Superintendent Ramesh K. Krishnan said they were caught since the battalion took over the border on May 17.
During the period, he said the battalion also detained four Thai illegal immigrants and seized two cars believed to be used to transport them out of the state.
"Between May 17 and June 3, we recorded 42 smuggling cases with the seizure of various types of smuggled items worth more than RM700,000.
"The smuggled items were brought into the state across the Golok river via the many illegal jetties along the border," he said.
Ramesh said 35 men, all locals, aged between 53 and 66-years-old were detained for smuggling activities.
"Two of the 35 were arrested for bringing in the four illegal immigrants via an illegal jetty in Rantau Panjang on May 18," he added.
He said the four illegal immigrants, aged between 35 and 50, have been handed over to the Immigration Department for further action.
"The local men have been referred to the Pasir Mas police station for further investigations," he added.