TUMPAT: A tonto (an individual who trails enforcement officers to tip off smugglers) who has been working with a syndicate operating at the Kelantan/Thai border, was arrested here on Monday.
The suspect who was among hundreds of tontos hired by Kelantan smuggling syndicates, was caught at his home in Kampung Bendang Pak Yong.
General Operation Force Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the man was detained by the GOF team from the Ninth Battalion.
He said they also seized nine units of walkie-talkies and two bottles of ketum juice.
"The GOF team raided the house after receiving information about a man suspected to be the tonto active in Kampung Bendang Pak Yong and its surrounding area.
"After checking the house, they discovered the walkie-talkie and the ketum juice and later arrested the 41-year-old man," he said in a statement.
He added initial investigation showed that the suspect was hired by syndicates to check on enforcement officers to inform the smugglers of their movements.
He said the devices valued at about RM900, were for several different smuggling syndicates.
On another note, he said the battalion seized 42 boxes of smuggled frozen chicken worth nearly RM7,000 here yesterday.
However, no arrests were made in the 7.55am operation at the Aziz illegal jetty.