RANTAU PANJANG: The monsoon season has not stopped residents living along the Thai border here to continue sending small parcels across the Golok river.
Mostly living along the river, these residents continue to send items using small containers attached to ropes, while recipients would pull them up from the other side of the river.
This activity of sending items via ropes had started at the Syed Agil illegal jetty after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented in the country following the Covid-19 pandemic.
They have been using this method since last year as the travel ban by both countries prevented cross-border journeys.
A resident who only wanted to be known as Lah said many locals continue to use this method to send items such as money, food supplies and even important documents to their families staying across the border.
"Today, l sent some medicine to my relatives there as they need the medicine urgently," said the 30-year-old from Rantau Panjang.
Meanwhile, Pasir Mas police chief Assistant Commissioner Nasaruddin Md Nasir said police have taken immediate action by cutting the ropes to put a stop to the illegal activity.
"Despite our repeated warnings not to continue with the activity, they wouldn't listen.
"Police can only take action against them if they are caught red-handed. We have cut the ropes almost four times so far this year."
He said the ropes were cut in June and July this year.
"We realised a majority of them might send food and money to their relatives over there, but some of them might also use the method to smuggle drugs and contraband," said Nasaruddin.
Residents have also threatened police officers who cut these ropes, he said.