PASIR MAS: After evading arrest numerous times, a 34-year-old Malaysian, who was working as a runner for a ketum supplier from Thailand, was eventually caught by the police yesterday.
The 34-year-old from Bunut Susu has been smuggling ketum leaves and juice across the Malaysia-Thai border for a fee of RM100 a day.
Pasir Mas police chief Assistant Commissioner Nasaruddin Md Nasir said the suspect was detained by the police in a raid at the latter's home about 7.30pm.
Following the raid, police seized 180kg of ketum leaves and 357 litres of ketum juice from the suspect.
"A police team went to the house after receiving a tip-off. There they found ketum leaves and juice worth about RM5,300.
"Also seized from the house were two units of gas containers and several other kitchen appliances which were used to process the ketum leaves into juice.
"A car, believed to have been used to smuggle the items, was found parked near the house and was also seized," he said in a statement.
Nasaruddin said initial investigations showed that the suspect had been working with a Thai man known as `Tan' for some time.
The suspect has been remanded to assist police investigation into the case.
