GERIK – At a rate of RM4 per kg – and RM6,000 in total – a lorry driver was willing to risk arrest for smuggling ketum leaves from Kedah to Kelantan.
Gerik district police chief Zulkifli Mahmood said the 34-year-old was caught on November 21 about 11.55pm at a police roadblock at Km9 of the Gerik-Jeli East-West Highway near Sg Lebey trying to smuggle 1.5 tonnes of ketum leaves worth RM45,000.
“The man was arrested after he was unable to provide a list of the things he was transporting in his five-tonne lorry.
“Investigations revealed it was his first time being involved in the activity and that he was using a vehicle belonging to a syndicate in operation since December,” Zulkifli told a press conference here today.
He said the suspect, who has no prior criminal record, is remanded until Wednesday.
He said the modus operandi of the syndicate is to travel from Kelantan to a village in Sik, Kedah, in the morning to pick up the sacks of ketum leaves and then return to the east coast at night.
“The current market value for ketum leaves in the east coast is RM30 per kg,” said Zulkifli. – Bernama, November 23, 2020
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