KUALA NERANG: The Malaysian army foiled an attempt to smuggle nearly one tonne of ketum leaves into Thailand, via Padang Terap.
The leaves are worth an estimated RM74,400.
The army's Second Infantry Division, in a statement, said the ketum leaves were found inside a four-wheel-drive vehicle in the border forest area near the Sixth Infantry Brigade's area of operations, at 11.30am.
"The border operations team saw a Mitsubishi Pajero four-wheel-drive vehicle being driven in a suspicious manner in the forest area near the Malaysia-Thailand border.
"Upon seeing the team, the suspect inside the Pajero abandoned the vehicle and fled into the nearby forest.
"Checks revealed that there were 93 packages containing ketum leaves, weighing 930kg, worth an estimated RM74,400, inside the vehicle," the statement said.
It added that the packages and the vehicle, with an estimated total value of RM94,400, were handed over to Kuala Nerang police for further action.