Nibong timber worth RM246,000 seized in Tawau
Published on: Friday, July 17, 2020
By: Lagatah Toyos
MMEA personnel pointing to the drifting bundles of timber.
TAWAU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized 820 pieces of nibong wood, estimated to be worth RM246,000, in an operation dubbed “Ops Pluto Timur” in Inderasabah waters, near here.In the 2.30pm operation on Tuesday, a MMEA patrol boat stumbled upon wooden bundles floating at 6.5 nautical miles south of the Inderasabah River mouth.
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Tawau Zone Maritime Director, Captain Maritime Siva Kumar Vengadasalam, said initially 41 wooden bundles of various sizes tied together were seen drifting.
“Initial investigations did not find any suspicious activity, but we cannot rule out the possibility of the timber being smuggled into the district through Kg Inderasabah,” he said.
Siva said all the nibong timber seized were handed to Pos Hadapan Inderasabah, Tawau Maritime Zone for further action.
“The case will be referred to the Tawau Forestry Department for further investigation according to the Forestry Enactment 1968,” he said.
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