LAHAD DATU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained two boats with contraband cigarettes and subsidised goods in the waters off Felda Sahabat here on Sept 23.
Lahad Datu MMEA director Komander Maritim Dzulfikhar Ali said the seizure was made following intelligence gathered under Op Sejahtera 1/2022 and Op Tiris 4.0 in the southern waters off Tanjung Sinakut.
The first boat was detained at 8.26 am, followed by the second at 9.14 am, he said.
“When the MMEA patrol boat approached the two vessels, two men on each boat jumped into the sea and fled towards land,” he said.
Inspections found that each boat had been fitted with a pump engine as an auxiliary engine. A further check on the first boat found 24 containers filled with petrol, each with a capacity of 25 litres, bringing the total to about 600 litres.
The second boat was found carrying four cartons of untaxed cigarettes containing about 40,000 sticks of the Astro brand, seven cooking gas cylinders and 20 empty 25-litre oil containers.
Both boats are believed to have played different roles in the smuggling operation. The first, carrying petrol, was believed to be en route to deliver the supply to a neighbouring country, while the second, carrying empty containers, was believed to be preparing to collect fuel before it was smuggled and sold to that country.
The total value of seizures in both cases is estimated at RM65,700. Both cases are being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, while the untaxed cigarette case is also being investigated under the Customs Act 1967.
All boats and seized items were later taken to the MMEA Felda Sahabat Post Jetty, Lahad Datu, for further action and investigation.
Dzulfikhar said MMEA will continue to strengthen intelligence, patrols and enforcement operations to curb smuggling and the diversion of controlled goods in Malaysian waters.
The public is urged to contact the Operations Centre of the Lahad Datu Maritime Zone Headquarters via WhatsApp at 016-930 5727 or the emergency line 999 with any information on criminal activity or suspicious incidents at sea so that immediate action can be taken. – James Leong
One of the boats seized by MMEA Lahad Datu.
