Three men arrested over attempt to smuggle prohibited items into prison using drones

KOTA BHARU: Three men have been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle prohibited items to a rehabilitation centre in Machang using drones last Dec 12.

Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun said the arrest was made after police received a report about a drone being flown above the centre area at 1.05 am.

"The centre, which is installed with a tracking device technology, detected the drone operator in an area near the prison in Jalan Kuing Indah, Kampung Pangkal Meleret, Machang.

"Three suspects fled in a Honda CRV car and sped away (on seeing the arrival of the authorities) before they were arrested near the main Kuala Krai-Kota Bharu road in Kampung Bukit Belah, Machang," he said in a statement today.

Following a check in the car, Muhamad Zaki said the police found five mobile phones, two units of power bank, a machete, 20 firecrackers, a type of dagger known as badik, and a roll of double tape.

"We also found a RC123 drone remote control device, 13 packets of tobacco and 41 small compressed packages, believed to contain tobacco.

"All the items were confiscated for investigation under Section 447 of the penal code, Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957 and Section 6 of the Corrosive Substances, Explosives and Dangerous Weapons Act 1958," he added.

He said all the suspects, aged between 35 and 39, were charged in the Machang Magistrate's Court last Dec 19 under section 58(1) of the Prisons Act 1995 and Rule 140 of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulations 2016 and Section 6 of the Corrosive Substances, Explosives and Dangerous Weapons Act 1957.

Muhammad Zaki said it is an offence to fly a drone without a permit from the Civil Aviation Department.

"The police) will not compromise with this violation of the law and strict action will be taken accordingly," he added.

-- BERNAMA