Padang Besar: Police have arrested two smugglers from Thailand suspected to be involved in a shootout at the Malaysia-Thailand border today which killed a General Operations Force (GOF) corporal.
"One (smuggler) was nabbed by a VAT 69 commando squad after the incident and the other was arrested by GOF Battalion 3. No weapons were recovered,” Perlis police chief Datuk Surina Saad said.
She also said Malaysian police were informed that four other suspects had been arrested by Thai authorities in that country.
"Of the four arrested by Thai authorities, three smugglers were reported to be injured and the person helping them was hurt too,” she told reporters near the scene of the shootout here.
She said Malaysian police would seek the cooperation of their Thai counterparts to get statements from the suspects arrested in Thailand.
Surina said preliminary investigations showed that about 13 smugglers were involved in the shootout at Border Wall 9 (TS9).
"The smugglers were then believed to be carrying about 12 packages of ketum leaves (estimated weight 400-500 kg) and a gunny sack of cough medicine,” she added.
She said the GOF member killed in the shootout, Corporal Baharuddin Ramli of Battalion 3 (Senoi Praaq), was shot in the left side of the stomach. He died at the scene.
Baharuddin’s colleague Corporal Norihan a/l Tari was also shot in the stomach and admitted to Hospital Tuanku Fauziah in Kangar with serious injuries, she said.
"We are proud of the bravery shown by the two personnel in taking on about 13 smugglers from Thailand,” she said.
