TUMPAT, Dec 13 — The General Operations Force (GOF) seized 2,500 cartons of Manchester brand white cigarettes worth RM750,000 in Kampung Geting near Pengkalan Kubor, here early this morning.

GOF 9th Battalion Operations Officer, ASP Mohamad Azlee Ismail said the 35-year-old lorry driver was also detained.

He said in the incident around 4 am, members of the GOF 9 Strike Force motorcycle patrol unit spotted a lorry in suspicious circumstances before following the vehicle for more than two kilometres.

"The truck driver was allegedly taking the cigarette supply from an illegal base in Pengkalan Kubor and was on the way to deliver it to another party.

"However, on the way his lorry was detected by the authorities. Despite trying to escape, the lorry was stopped and the driver detained at Kampung Geting,” he told reporters at the Kuala Jambu Police Station here, today.

Mohamad Azlee said the confiscated goods and the lorry, all estimated to be worth RM790,000, were handed over to the Customs department for further action.

This seizure of cigarettes is the first case for GOF9 since taking over ‘Ops Wawasan’ on Nov 16.

"We believe smuggling activities are on the rise after the recent floods based on the latest cases recorded in the past several days,” he said. — Bernama