The Customs Department believes it is impossible to smuggle illegal firearms from Thailand into the country through the entry checkpoints along the border of the northern states.

Firearms were probably transported through porous border points between the two countries instead, Customs Department director-general Khazali Ahmad was reported saying.

This, he said, is because scanners at all checkpoints are able to detect firearms, while Customs and Immigration officers are trained to identify suspicious-looking characters at entry points.

Smugglers, he added, were making use of the hot weather to enter from Thailand into Sungai Golok, Kelantan, which has dried up.

“We hope locals who are aware of smuggling activities along our border inform our authorities,” The Star quoted Khazali saying in a joint press conference with Indonesian counterpart Heru Pamdudi at the Customs Complex in Sungai Pulai yesterday.

Coastal hotspots

Citing intelligence reports, Khazali said there are currently seven smuggling hotspots along the coasts of the peninsula.

Khazali said Malaysian and Indonesian authorities will beef up their operations to prevent the smuggling of firearms along the Straits of Malacca.

“The continuous cooperation between the two countries is vital in view of the threats from extremist groups in the region,” he said.

Heru was meanwhile reported admitting it is an increasing challenge for any country in the region to monitor smuggling activities alone, and as such concerted efforts from all countries is important.