Johor police chief M Kumar said one of the suspects killed in the 5.04pm incident was a 42-year-old man with 38 previous convictions for drug-related offences.

“The incident occurred when a police team from Bukit Aman, together with the criminal investigation department of the Johor police, trailed a white Toyota Estima multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) which was being driven in a suspicious manner.

“Upon realising the police were on their trail, the men in the MPV sped away. The suspects fired several shots at the police vehicle, forcing the police to fire back,” he said in a statement today.

Kumar said both the suspects were killed in the shootout.

Following checks, police found two pistols in the MPV and another on one of the suspects.

Police also found drugs in the vehicle and an investigation was being carried out under Section 307 of the Penal Code, he said.