Published: Wednesday September 11, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday September 11, 2013 MYT 7:36:57 AM
Three Customs officers injured while chasing drug smugglers
GEORGE TOWN: Three Customs officers were injured while chasing three drug traffickers who had abandoned their sampan carrying RM1.48mil worth of drugs.
The officers sustained light injuries while jumping off their boat and running after the three men on a rocky beach in Teluk Kumbar here.
Penang Customs Department director Datuk Zulkifli Yahya said the officers received a tip-off about the sampan transporting the drugs in Teluk Kumbar here.
The officers saw the sampan with three men on board moving towards the beach near Sungai Batu at about 4am on Monday.
The suspects then sped and stopped their sampan at the beach before running off into the jungle.
“The officers hurt themselves when they jumped off their boat to chase them.
“By then, the suspects had disappeared into the jungle,” he said at a press conference at the Customs office in Weld Quay here yesterday.
Zulkifli said the officers recovered 7.4kg of drugs believed to be syabu from the sampan.
“The drugs were found in seven tightly wrapped packets stashed in a black plastic bag.
“We’re investigating where the drugs came from and their destination,” he added.
Zulkifli called on the people to call the department on its toll-free number 1-800-88-8855 or the Penang office (04-331 8920) if they knew of smuggling activities involving drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and firecrackers.
He said the department would keep the identities of informants confidential and even give monetary rewards.
