SEMPORNA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here successfully thwarted two petrol smuggling attempts in separate incidents off the waters of Pulau Bum Bum, within less than an hour, on Thursday.
An outboard engine and dozens of jerrycans containing petrol, with an estimated total value of nearly RM20,000, were seized in both cases, Semporna MMEA director Komander Maritim Amir Shubli disclosed on Friday.
In the first incident, the crew of MMEA boat KILAT 52, were conducting Ops Pluto Timur 2/2013 when they detected a suspicious outboard motorboat approximately 0.5 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Bum Bum, around 5.30 pm.
Realising the presence of MMEA, the skipper abandoned his boat and jumped into the sea and fled towards the close-by land.
“Inspection of the abandoned boat revealed 15 jerrycans containing petrol, along with an outboard motorboat and a 40-horsepower Yamaha engine, estimated to be worth RM17,250,” he said.
Nearly 50 minutes later, about 6.20 pm, the same team discovered a pile of floating jerrycans at a position 0.9 nautical miles north of Pulau Bum Bum.
Further inspection revealed 30 jerrycans containing petrol, believed to have been deliberately thrown into the sea by smugglers to avoid detection by law enforcement authorities. The estimated value of the seizure in the second case amounted to RM1,500.
All seized items were subsequently brought to the Kem Azumi Jetty and handed over to MMEA Semporna investigating officer for further action under the Control of Supplies Act 1961. – James Leong
The petrol-filled jerrycans seized by MMEA Semporna on Thursday.
