Kelantan Police Vow Crackdown on Human-Smuggling Syndicates After Tumpat Ramming Incident

KOTA BHARU, August 19 — Kelantan police will take decisive legal action against human-smuggling syndicates that deploy ‘tonto’ scouts and obstruction drivers to impede enforcement vehicles, following a recent incident in which two General Operations Force (GOF) personnel were rammed while performing their duties.

Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat warned that law enforcement will not tolerate the increasingly brazen tactics used by smuggling syndicates attempting to evade authority.

“Human smuggling is a serious issue. They were willing to hit GOF personnel, which is an outrageous act that should not have happened,” Mohd Yusoff told a press conference at the Kelantan Police Contingent Headquarters today.

He stressed that individuals and syndicates involved in such acts will be prosecuted under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM), alongside Sections 353 and 186 of the Penal Code for using criminal force and obstructing public servants in the execution of their duties.

The police chief revealed that authorities have also detected human-smuggling syndicates utilizing maritime and riverine routes along the Kelantan coastline, prompting heightened vigilance across all coastal enforcement agencies.

While describing the ramming incident as an isolated case, Mohd Yusoff urged field operatives—particularly GOF personnel and the Kelantan police contingent task force—to remain on high alert and utilize lawful measures when encountering active threats.

The warning follows an August 15 incident in Kampung Chat Palekbang, Tumpat, where a land-based smuggler transporting six undocumented Myanmar women rammed two GOF officers during a routine inspection before being apprehended by security forces.

–NMT