SANDAKAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle subsidised cooking oil during an operation off the waters of Kampung Bokara Lama here, early Saturday.
A MMEA patrol boat detected two suspicious boats at about 2.00 am. However, several individuals abandoned the two boats at the location before fleeing to a nearby area upon realising the presence of the MMEA boat.
Sandakan MMEA director Kepten Maritim Muhamad Suhairy Hussain on Sunday disclosed that further inspection of both boats discovered a total of 1,870 packets of cooking oil that were believed to be intended for smuggling out of the country.
The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, he added.
All seized items, including the two boats along with their engines and the cooking oil, were estimated to be worth over RM50,000. The boats and seized goods were taken to the Sandakan MMEA Jetty for further action by MMEA investigating officers. – James Leong
A Sandakan MMEA personnel shows the cooking oil found onboard the two boats early Saturday.
