NIBONG TEBAL, MALAYSIA: Police here have crippled a gang of cow thieves which used blowpipes with chloroform-filled syringes to stun cows and later transport them in car boots.

Their activities were busted following the arrest of four suspects including a Thai national.

South Seberang Prai OCPD Supt Shafien Mamat said the gang members drove in a Proton Waja or Wira and used their home-made blow pipes to steal the animals.

"They were using this method instead of transporting them in lorries to avoid detection," Supt Shafien told reporters at the district police headquarters in Jawi yesterday.

He said investigations also revealed the suspects slaughtered the cows and sold the meat at local markets.

Supt Shafien said the suspects in their 30s were nabbed by a police team during crime prevention rounds at Taman Jawi Jaya here at about 1.30am on Nov 13.

"We stopped a car and recovered plastic pipes, chemicals, syringes and knives," he said.