Kelantan police chief Zaki Harun said the arrests were made after police received a report about a drone being flown above the centre at 1.05am on Dec 12.

He said the centre, which was installed with a tracking device technology, detected the drone operator in an area nearby.

Upon seeing the arrival of authorities, three men who tried to flee in a car were arrested, Zaki said in a statement today.

Police seized a RC123 drone remote control, 13 packets of tobacco and 41 small packages, also believed to contain tobacco.

They also seized five mobile phones, two power banks, a machete, firecrackers and a badik (dagger).

The men, aged between 35 and 39, have been charged in court over the incident.