LAHAD DATU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here foiled an attempt to smuggle 240 litres of petrol and a motorcycle to a neighbouring country in the waters off Felda Sahabat, Tungku, on Oct 14.
The seizure, involving goods with an estimated total value of RM50,000, was made during an integrated enforcement operation under Op Sejahtera 1/2022 and Op Tiris 4.0.
MMEA Lahad Datu Zone Director Komander Maritim Dzulfikhar Ali said the operation, conducted based on intelligence, detected a suspicious unregistered boat fitted with an outboard engine about 0.35 nautical miles southwest of Kampung Sinakut Tengah.
“Upon noticing the approaching enforcement patrol boat, the suspect sped towards the coastline before abandoning the boat and fleeing into nearby bushes,” he said.
A subsequent inspection of the abandoned boat uncovered 12 containers of petrol, with a total estimated volume of 240 litres, along with a motorcycle.
The controlled goods and motorcycle were suspected to have been intended for illegal smuggling to a neighbouring country.
The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and the Customs Act 1967.
The boat and all seized items were taken to the Felda Sahabat MMEA Base for further action and handed over to the investigating officer.
Dzulfikhar said it would intensify enforcement operations and coordinated patrols to combat cross-border crime and safeguard the sovereignty and security of Malaysian waters.
Members of the public with information about, or who witness, suspicious activities at sea are urged to contact the MMEA Lahad Datu Operations Centre via WhatsApp at 016-930 5727 or call the emergency hotline MERS 999. -James Leong
A MMEA Lahad Datu personnel checks the abandoned boat in Tungku on Oct 14.
