Kelantan police chief Shafien Mamat said the vehicle carrying the five men, aged 25 to 38, was stopped by a team from the Gua Musang district police headquarters (IPD) at 2.30am.

“During the inspection, police found two shotguns with 46 live bullets of various types that were kept separately in the vehicle. The five men also failed to produce the licence for the weapons.

“The men, who work at a nearby oil palm plantation, admitted that the shotgun was used to hunt animals in the abandoned plantation area there. Also found in the vehicle were two kerambit blades, a bottle of ketum water and 29 yaba pills,” he said at a press conference at the Gua Musang IPD today.

Yaba is a category one drug, the worst type of drug there is.

Shafien said one of the men also tested positive for methamphetamine.

“They have been remanded until April 7 to assist in the investigation and we are now tracking down another man who is believed to be linked to the firearms,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 8 of the Firearms (Heavier Penalties) Act 1971 and Section 8 (a) of the Firearms Act 1960.