Cattle pens near Thai border used as drug transit points, authorities warn

CATTLE pens situated along the Kelantan–Thailand border are increasingly being used as transit points by drug syndicates, raising concerns that local livestock owners may be drawn—willingly or otherwise—into cross-border narcotics operations.

Commander of the Southeast Brigade of the General Operations Force (PGA), Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid, said although formal investigations have yet to directly implicate livestock owners, intelligence reports indicate drugs are being smuggled alongside cattle and goats using the farming logistics chain.

“We are issuing a warning that many livestock owners near the border are at risk of becoming ‘middlemen’—either lured by the promise of significant profits or coerced by syndicates,” he told Bernama.

He said syndicates are believed to be exploiting cattle pens in areas such as Kampung Tualang and Simpangan in Tumpat, as well as Kampung Kubang Pak Itam, Jeram Perdah, and Tok Deh in Pasir Mas.

The warning comes in the wake of a major bust by the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) and Kelantan police, in which 35.4 kilograms of methamphetamine pills, valued at over RM5 million, were seized in six raids across Pasir Mas and Tumpat. In one case, 20 kilograms of the drugs were discovered concealed in cow dung at a livestock enclosure in Banggol Chica, Pasir Mas.

From January to 30 June this year, the PGA recorded 34 livestock smuggling cases, resulting in 39 arrests and the seizure of 818 animals, including 274 cattle, 18 buffaloes and 526 sheep. In total, 2024 has so far seen 47 cases, with 56 individuals detained and over 80,000 animals seized—including 80,025 chickens, 385 cattle, 340 sheep and five buffaloes.

“Our personnel have found evidence at several illegal crossing points—ropes for tying cattle to trees, cow dung, and hoofprints along riverbanks,” said Nik Ros Azhan.

He explained that animals are believed to be moved in groups of sufficient size from riverbanks to concealed pens up to three kilometres inland before being loaded into trucks for onward distribution.

The Commander stressed that surveillance will be intensified and stern action taken against any cattle pen operators found complicit in drug smuggling operations using livestock as cover.

“PGA will not hesitate to act if it is proven that cattle owners are colluding in these narcotics operations, using cows and goats as shields,” he said. - July 16, 2025