PASIR MAS: The elite Senoi Praaq unit from the 18th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) of the Northern Brigade is tightening the noose on those sneaking across along the Malaysia-Thailand border in Sungai Golok with newly launched boat patrols.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the boat patrols were carried out in areas identified as active crossing points on the border.
Boat patrols are launched as early as 8 am and end at 7 pm daily at hotspots covering illegal jetties such as the MCA base, Pohon Jambu and Tok Awang Belulang in Rantau Panjang.
“Despite tight controls, we are sure that there are still people trying to sneak in or out through illegal routes but this tight grip will make them think twice about crossing the border illegally.
“In this latest assignment, three boats are used with three personnel each to cover the stretch from Pos Ibrahim Pencen to Pos Terusan,“ he said when contacted today.
Mohd Yusoff said patrols were also made at hotspots or during peak hours.
Commenting further, he said that the boat patrols were the brainchild of the GOF Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid, to address the porosity of the border.
“Senoi Praaq also patrol on foot at night and we are confident about its effectiveness. In addition, motorcycle patrols have also been increased in narrow and difficult-to-pass areas to detect suspicious activity,“ he said.
He said foot patrols by Senoi Praaq were carried out every 24 hours to close down on all cross-border criminal activities along the riverbanks of Sungai Golok.
