LABUAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) successfully seized 600 cartons of various brands of alcoholic beverages worth RM270,000 in an operation in Sungai Melikai, Menumbok, yesterday.
During the operation at 1.45am, three men believed to be the masterminds behind the smuggling activities were able to escape arrest after daring to leave behind liquor, a boat and two lorries.
Labuan Zone Maritime Director, Maritime Captain Izwanhadi Idros said the operation was carried out based on intelligence information regarding activities involving the transport of suspected undeclared goods from the Federal Territory of Labuan to mainland Sabah.
He said that the Penggalang 24 operation boat, which was conducting patrols, managed to detect a cargo boat with three individuals on board, moving from the waters of Labuan Island towards Menumbok.
“The operations team then followed the boat before spotting it dock at a suspected illegal landing location at the Kampung Melikai River Jetty.
“The raid on land was carried out with the assistance of boat team members, but the three individuals involved fled to a nearby mangrove swamp area,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Izwanhadi said efforts to track down the suspects were unsuccessful due to weather conditions and terrain that made the operation difficult.
He said that an inspection at the location found a cargo boat carrying about 200 cartons of alcoholic beverages, while two other lorries were carrying about 400 cartons of alcoholic beverages of various brands.
“All items were seized and confiscated in accordance with the Customs Act 1967 before being taken to the Labuan Zone Maritime Headquarters to be handed over to the investigating officer for further action,” he said.
In this regard, Izwanhadi said that the MMEA will continue to intensify patrols and enforcement to combat smuggling activities, especially the activity of transporting undeclared goods via sea routes.
He said the public, especially the maritime community, is also urged to provide information on any suspicious activities to help authorities combat maritime crime. – Fardy Bungga
The abandoned lorry was found carrying hundreds of cartons of liquor suspected of not being cleared by customs.
The boat that the three suspects boarded before fleeing.
