TUMPAT: A woman was among five arrested by the state's border agencies for trying to smuggle 200 litres of petrol to Thailand yesterday.
The five were detained in a joint operation between the Kelantan Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and the state Customs Department.
Kelantan ministry director Azman Ismail said the five suspected smugglers were arrested in separate raids at seven stores in the Sungai Ular area.
He added two vehicles valued at about RM8,400 which were used to transport the fuel were also seized in the operation.
"We received public tip-offs on the existance of stores along the border which are used by smugglers to keep the Malaysian subsidy items before sending them to the neighbouring country.
"In the raids yesterday, we managed to record three cases with the arrest of four men and a woman.
"Also seized in the operations were 200 litres of petrol worth about RM400," he said in a statement today.
Azman said initial investigations showed that the petrol would be smuggled across the border via the many illegal jetties in Sungai Ular area.
He added the five were being held for further action.