BUKIT KAYU HITAM, Feb 7 — The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) through the 4th Battalion Royal Rangers Regiment (RRD) seized 700 kilograms of ‘ketum’ leaves worth RM66,500 believed to be for smuggling to a neighbouring country this afternoon.

Commander of the 6th Brigade, Brig-Gen Abdul Aziz Ismail said the seizure was made by seven members of the regiment at 12.30pm after observing two men riding their motorcycles in a suspicious manner near Pos Sahara, here.

He said the team later tried to apprehend the motorcycles, but the two men fled leaving behind their motorcycles.

"The two men were carrying several sacks filled with ketum leaves tied to the back seats of their motorcycles and when our men tried to approach them, they fled and left the ketum leaves behind,” he said in a statement today.

He added that further inspection on the sacks found several packs of ketum leaves which were tied carefully in the sacks. — Bernama