SIPITANG: Drivers of a passenger van and a four-wheel drive were arrested for crossing district lines without permit.
During the incident at Kampung Naluyan, here, both vehicles were believed to be traveling from Kota Kinabalu to Sipitang to buy durians.
District Police Chief deputy superintendent Champin Piuh said both cars were detected via aerial view using drones in collaboration with the Air Operations Force Base Sabah's drone unit.
Initially, he said the unit detected a group of people without face masks gathering at a stall selling fruits by the side of the road near Sipitang town.
"When they drove past the roadblock at Kampung Naluyan, the police detained the drivers of the two vehicles.
"Further examination later found that both drivers failed to show valid cross-district police permits," he said in a media statement.
Champin said the driver and passengers of both vehicles were taken to the Sipitang District Police Headquarters (IPD) for further action.
He said all the individuals involved were compounded for cross-district travel without police permits and abusing government agency confirmation letters just to buy durians in Sipitang.
Meanwhile, Champin said, since July 15, several villages in the district had been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) following a sudden increase in Covid-19 infections.
"As we face difficulties in conducting overall monitoring in the village areas under EMCO, police received help from the drone unit.
"As a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we would like to advise the community in this district to continue to comply with the SOP set.
"People are advised not to leave their homes during this period if there are no important matters until the situation calms down," he said.