The eight men detained by police for shooting livestock with assault weapons in Kampung Ulu Lakai, Jelebu, on Wednesday. — Malay Mail pix

JELEBU, Dec 2 — They are not your regular livestock thieves.

These men are trained in tactical planning and are well-equipped with more than adequate firepower.

The group of eight, some who are in the army and the police, carried out a commando-style raid rather than a livestock theft.

Police were shocked to see the cache of firearms they had.

In the incident on Wednesday, the eight were about to flee with the carcasses of two cows and four goats in three four-wheel-drive vehicles when they were intercepted by a mob of angry villagers at 3.40am at an oil palm plantation in Kampung Ulu Lakai, Simpang Durian, here.

A police source said investigators seized a cache of specialised weapons and ammunition from the suspects, some which were registered under the National Security Council (NSC) and also the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters armoury.

“Besides the seizure of two 12-bore shotguns, investigators also seized a variety of weapons such as a Royal Malaysian Police issued Heckler & Koch MP5 A3 submachine-gun, four semi-automatic 9mm pistols, a semi-automatic shotgun and more than 100 rounds of mixed ammunition,” the source told Malay Mail yesterday.

“These weapons are usually used for operations involving close-quarter battle by police or paramilitary operatives.”

The suspects are aged between 29 and 54. Police investigations are focused on a 34-year-old policeman who is currently attached with the NSC in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.

It was learnt that the policeman, who has been seconded to the NSC for the past 10 years, was instrumental in obtaining some of the specialised weapons from the NSC and Bukit Aman armoury.

The army personnel involved were also linked to the policeman through the NSC.

Some of the weapons used by the group.

“The suspect may have requested the weapons for special duty and had signed for the weapons that were used to shoot the livestock for fresh meat,” said the source, adding that the main suspect had served in the police for the past 15 years.

Police are investigating the involvement of four rank-and-file army servicemen, a retired policeman and two Selangor-based businessmen, who were part of the group.

“Investigations show that the suspects had earlier identified themselves as Wildlife and National Parks Department officers to villagers before they entered the area,” the source said.

“They may have committed the same crime using a similar method in other places as fresh beef and mutton commands a good price in the market,” said the source.

It was learnt that the Jelebu district police criminal investigations department and also the Negri Sembilan police contingent teams have conducted ballistics tests on the weapons and also for gunshot residue.

All eight suspects have been remanded for three days until today.

Jelebu police chief Deputy Superintendent Kamarul Rizal Jenal said the villagers checked the vehicle and found the carcasses of two cows and four goats before alerting the police.

“Police have classified the case for theft and for illegal possession of firearms and live bullets,” he said.