Kelantan police report smugglers are moving illegal floating jetties to the Thai side of the Sungai Golok river to avoid detection and demolition by Malaysian authorities.
PASIR MAS: Smuggling syndicates along the Malaysia-Thailand border are relocating their illegal floating jetties to Thailand to avoid demolition.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said this tactic was identified during an integrated enforcement operation along the Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang.
He stated that information about the demolition operation was leaked and reached the smugglers. “Upon learning of this, they immediately moved their jetties to the Thai side for fear of them being destroyed by the authorities,” he told Bernama.
The ongoing operation involves various agencies including the police, National Security Council and local authorities.
Mohd Yusoff said several other illegal bases in the Jeram Perdah and Rantau Panjang areas were demolished smoothly. He emphasised operations would continue to eliminate all illegal structures used for smuggling.
Authorities have identified 17 illegal bases for demolition to curb illegal entry and cross-border crime. These include locations known as Jitong, Maghrib, Kak Pah and Kayangan Inn.
A Bernama review found smuggling activities persist on a small scale along “rat lanes” around Sungai Golok. Suspicious movements are detected at night, especially in swampy and sheltered areas.
Residents reported smugglers frequently change the location of floating jetties to avoid detection. A review of the Thai riverbank showed several small jetties, believed to belong to smugglers, anchored on the neighbouring country’s side.
