KOTA BHARU: A 53-year-old lorry driver has been arrested after more than 15,000 ornamental plants believed to be from Thailand were found in his vehicle.
The haul included orchids and bidara tree saplings, with an estimated value of RM4.5 million.
Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid of the General Operations Force said the man was arrested in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan at about 7pm on Wednesday.
He added that an inspection of the lorry revealed more than 15,000 saplings and the driver did not have valid documents for transporting them.
According to Nik Ros Azhan, the 53-year-old driver was believed to have been hired as a transporter to smuggle the saplings in for distribution in Malaysia.
The case is being investigated under the Plant Quarantine Act, he said.