KANGAR, Nov 28 — Aerial surveillance and use of drones in integrated patrols under the nationwide operation codenamed ‘Op Benteng’ has reduced the workload of General Operations Force (GOF) members to detect smuggling activities along the Malaysia-Thailand border.

GOF 3rd Battalion commanding officer Supt Rosman Kasman said land patrol personnel had limited capabilities prior to this, but with the help from the Air Wing Unit and Drone Unit under the National Task Force (NTF) had further enhanced border control.

"Currently, with the assistance, we can monitor almost 100 per cent of the border area,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, Rosman received some contribution from Arau MP and Perlis Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim on behalf of the families of the late Sergeant Baharuddin Ramli and Sergeant Norihan a/l Tari who is currently receiving treatment at the Penang Hospital.

On Tuesday (November 24), Baharuddin, 54, was killed while his colleague, Norihan, 39, was seriously injured, after an encounter with a group of smugglers, about 600m from the TS9 control post in Padang Besar. — Bernama