BANDAR PERMAISURI, Dec 24 — The Terengganu police seized 244 kg of methamphetamine, valued at RM7.8 million, in their largest drug bust of the year during a traffic operation at KM 62 of Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kota Baru near Kampung Rahmat on Sunday.

Terengganu police chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairudin said the drugs were discovered around 9 am inside a Toyota Vellfire MPV, which had been abandoned by a man in his 30s who fled into a nearby oil palm plantation.

"The suspect, believed to be a local, was driving the MPV and stopped by the roadside suddenly in a suspicious manner about 100 metres away from a traffic police team conducting the operation.

"While the team was approaching the vehicle, the man suddenly exited from the vehicle and fled into the plantation,” he said during a press conference at the Setiu District police headquarters today.

Mohd Khairi added that the Fire and Rescue Department assisted in unlocking the MPV, which contained silver and gold plastic packets filled with crystal-like substances, believed to be methamphetamine.

He added that a Mitsubishi Triton four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle was also spotted acting suspiciously about one kilometre from the scene, believed to be linked to the suspect.

"The driver of the Mitsubishi Triton attempted to ram into police officers, forcing them to fire shots at the vehicle’s tires.

"The suspect sped off and later abandoned the locked 4WD in an oil palm plantation. The original license plate of the Toyota Vellfire was discovered inside the vehicle,” he said.

Mohd Khairi said that police are tracking down both suspects, with assistance from the Police K9 Unit and the General Operations Force.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the drugs were smuggled from Kelantan for distribution outside of Terengganu and could cater to approximately 1.2 million addicts,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. — Bernama