For payment of RM500, a jobless man braved violating the standard operating procedure (SOP) under the movement control order (MCO) by misusing the permit for cross-district travel to take 100 bags of ketum leaves from Naka in Kuala Nerang, Kedah to Kelantan instead.

Sik district police chief, DSP Abdull Razak Osman said the 29-year-old was arrested at the "Op Covid-19" roadblock in Jalan Jeniang-Sik, at 3.30am today.

"The ketum leaves, estimated to weigh 1,000kg and worth about RM10,000 were being transported in a three-tonne lorry. Packed in black plastic bags, the...