TUMPAT: Kelantan Customs Department has identified at least 100 "hotspots" for smuggling activities, including for firecrackers and fireworks.
Its director, Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long, said the locations were along the Kelantan/Thai border in Rantau Panjang, Jeli and the district here.
He said 40 of the locations were situated in Tumpat.
"These hotspots are used by smugglers to bring in various items, including firecrackers and fireworks, from the neighbouring country.
"We believe the smuggling activities of firecrackers and fireworks are rampant along the border areas of late to meet the demand for the coming festival," he told a press conference here today.
To put a stop to this menace, Wan Jamal said the department had launched two special operations codenamed Op Sempadan and Op Makmur.
He said the operations, which began on March 13 and would end on April 16, involved 100 Customs officers from the East Coast states.
"During the operations, the officers will conduct 24-hour surveillance at these hotspots.
"This is to ensure no smuggling activities take place along the Kelantan/Thai border."
Asked whether there were cases of firecrackers and fireworks seized in the two operations, Wan Jamal said they had made several seizures, but could not provide the details as police were still compiling the information.