TUMPAT: A suspected smuggler was caught red-handed for trying to smuggle 13,000 kg of sugar worth more than RM40,000 to Thailand yesterday.
The suspect was driving a lorry and was heading to the border when he was arrested by the General Operations Force at Wakaf Bharu. The lorry used to transport the sugar was also seized.
GOF Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Abd Hamid said a GOF team spotted the lorry driver lorry when it passed Kampung Kulim in Wakaf Bharu.
"After stopping the lorry driver at about 5pm, the GOF personnel found the subsidised sugar valued at more than RM40,000. The 26-year-old lorry driver was arrested," he added.
He said an initial investigation showed that the sugar was to be smuggled to Thailand via an illegal jetty at the border.
In another case, he said two men were detained for possession of 300 cartons of 1kg cooking oil packed in polybags worth about RM12,700 here yesterday.
He said the two were travelling in a lorry when they were detained by GOF personnel at Wakaf Bharu at about 6pm.
"The cooking oil is believed to be meant for the Thai market. We suspect the two were hired by an individual to transport the cooking oil to Thai suppliers," he added.