M’sian-Thai Border Shootout Was Because Of Drug Smugglers
Corporal Baharuddin Ramli was shot in the right side of his rib, while Corporal Norihan Tari was shot twice in the stomach, hitting his intestines.
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Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has confirmed that the shootout happened spontaneously between the two General Operations Force (GOF) officers and a group of smugglers after news broke yesterday of the death of an officer on patrol.
Speaking during a special press conference at Bukit Aman, Abdul Hamid said both parties had stumbled upon each other at about 600 metres from the TS9 control post in Padang Besar, Perlis around 2.30am.
The two GOF personnel were out on an intelligence operation armed with pistols and riding a motorcycle. They arrived at a bush and there was a trail in a rubber plantation area leading to the border wall. They then walked along the trail before they stumbled upon the group carrying sacks containing ketum leaves and cough medicine.
Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, Inspector-General of Police via Malay Mail
The shoot out that followed resulted in Corporal Baharuddin Ramli being shot in the right side of his rib, while Corporal Norihan Tari was shot twice in the stomach, hitting his intestines.
Despite this, Baharuddin managed to tell Norihan to get help from the TS9 control post. Norihan fled the scene on the motorcycle to look for backup. A rescue team arrived 30 minutes later to find Baharuddin dead at the scene, his pistol at his shoulder was out of bullets.
VAT69 commandos were dispatched to the scene together with the rescue team from GOF. They managed to arrest two Thai suspects, one of whom were found near the scene.
Norihan is reportedly in stable condition at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar, Perlis, while Baharuddin’s remains, which are at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah will be taken to the GOF 3rd Battalion Camp in Bidor, Perak before being laid to rest with full police honours in Kampung Sampo, Bahau, Negri Sembilan.
Abdul Hamid also said appropriate welfare assistance would be provided to the two members of the Senoi Praaq team, adding that the duo had received several certificates of appreciation and outstanding service awards before.
The border drug trail
He also explained that the drug trafficking syndicate involved in this incident is believed to be operating barter-trade style.
Heroin and meth from Thailand are being smuggled into Malaysia, while ketum leaves from Malaysia are moved into Thailand.
Police are tracking down three Malaysians believed to be involved in the syndicate and we have also identified seven trafficking syndicates which are active in the area.
Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, Inspector-General of Police via Malay Mail
In addition to this incident, the police have also recorded two other shootouts near the same control post on 12 and 15 November this year. Abdul Hamid said the police believe these incidents are meant to intimidate enforcement officers in the area.
According to him, the Senoi Praaq team are feared by smugglers at the Malaysia-Thailand border for their reputation of having a high level of integrity and trustworthiness.
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