Police Station Special Team To Curb Smuggling Of Firearms

KOTA BAHARU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Kelantan police have stationed a special team to monitor smuggling activities involving fire arms and weapons through the Malaysia-Thailand border from Tumpat to Jeli.

Kelantan police chief, Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said they (Malaysian police) have initiated a close working relationship with the police force in Thailand to curb activities involving weapons and the use of fire arms.

"The sales of firearms as reported by local dailies happen in Sungai Golok, Thailand and outside the jurisdiction of Malaysian police. The Malaysia-Thailand border, especially in Sungai Golok, is vast and difficult for the police to have total control.

"We also cannot deny the fact that some firearms have been smuggled out. However, we (Kelantan police) are serious in curbing such smuggling activities and throughout 2013, we seized 31 firearms of various make and models that were smuggled in," he said in a statement, Monday.

Jalaluddin when commenting on reports that criminals from Malaysia bought their firearms from Sungai Golok, said the motive for such initiatives could be to safeguard their drug trafficking activities or to seek revenge against their enemies.

Over the past two years, serious crimes involving firearms had seen a drastic increase in Malaysia since many people have been shot dead using guns.

"People with information must come forward to inform the police about such activities. The people must also be the eyes and ears of the police to combat crime and smuggling activities," he said.