POLICE have detained 22 people in connection with a shootout at the Malaysia-Thai border in Perlis, in which one general operations force (GOF) sergeant was killed and another seriously wounded on November 23.

Bukit Aman CID director Huzir Mohamed said of the 22 people arrested, 18 were Malaysians and the remaining four were Thai nationals.

“All the suspects are aged between 19 and 45 years old, and we suspect they are smugglers from several syndicates,” Huzir told a press conference.

“They are still on remand and we will seek an extension,” he added.

Malaysian police are currently negotiating with Thai officials to extradite another three men who were arrested in Thailand in connection with the shooting.

Six men were detained last week in relation to the incident, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said.

Four were Thai nationals arrested at two hospitals in Southern Thailand, while another two were arrested by Malaysian police near the border.

Cpl Baharuddin Ramli was killed in the shootout, while Cpl Norihan Tari was badly injured and taken to Hospital Tuanku Fauziah in Kangar, Perlis.

The two were later promoted to sergeant for their actions during the incident.

The shootout is believed to have involved 15 suspected smugglers.

Investigations so far have found that the two corporals were engaged in intelligence work when they were set upon by two groups of smugglers.

The shootout occurred at about 3am along Border Wall TS9 in Padang Besar, Perlis.

Hamid said the smugglers were trying to carry Ketum leaves and cough syrup into Thailand when they stumbled upon Baharudin and Norihan. – December 1, 2020.