Kelantan police nab suspected firearms smuggler after chase

KOTA BHARU: Kelantan police have detained a man believed to be smuggling firearms at a road block in Batu Melintang, Jeli on Thursday (April 6).

Deputy Kelantan police chief SAC Din Ahmad said the 24year-old man was seen trying to turn back when approaching a roadblock at 4am.

“He made a sudden u-turn and police gave chase for 12 kilometres before apprehending the suspect.

“On inspection of the Proton Wira driven by the suspect from Tanah Merah, police found a pistol in a small bag with the inscription M1911 A1 US Army which could kill within a distance of five metres,” he told reporters at the Kelantan police headquarters here yesterday.

Din said initial investigations found the suspect obtained the pistol from a neighbouring country for RM500 which would be sold to a friend in Negeri Sembilan for RM1,200.

He said the suspect was remanded for seven days from the day of arrest and the case would be investigated under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 and could be sentenced to 14 years jail with six strokes of the rotan if found guilty.

In another case, Din said Kelantan police detained a man and seized 20 bottles of drugs believed to be heroin worth RM40,000 in an operation in Kota Bharu at 10pm on Friday night.

He said the arrest was made based on a tip-off.

“When making the arrest, the man tried to fight back and a struggle ensued. After overpowering the suspect, police recovered the drugs in plastic bottles.

“Investigations found the man had been tested positive for methamphetamine with 10 criminal records. Police also believed the suspect has been trafficking drugs since 2015,” he said.

He said police were in the process of obtaining a remand order for the suspect and the case would be investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death sentence. — Bernama