The gang was said to be responsible for several cases of breaking into jewellery shops, involving losses of more than RM4mil.

Police said the shootout occurred at about 11.30 am on Monday at KM17 of the Pekan-Kuantan bypass.

It ended with two Vietnamese men and a Bangladeshi, aged 36, 44 and 38, respectively, found dead in their car.

He said the police ordered the car to stop but the driver sped off towards the bypass.

“A high-speed chase ensued before the suspects rammed their car into the rear of the police patrol car.

“When the police team alighted to carry out an inspection, the suspects fired several shots at them.

“A search found a Glock 17 pistol with seven bullets and three casings,” he told a press conference here yesterday, Bernama reported.

Comm Yahaya said police also found several items including drills and grinders, machetes and iron hammers in the car, which belonged to the Bangladeshi.

The two Vietnamese had passports and entered the country as visitors.

“The modus operandi of the gang was to break into jewellery shops and then drill the safe using a grinder before fleeing with the loot,” he said.

Comm Yahaya said the case would be investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.

He said police believed six cases of gold shop robberies reported since June last year, involving a case each in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang, and three cases in Perak, were solved.

Source: The STAR Malaysia