TAWAU: A passenger boat loaded with 973kg of controlled goods without a permit was detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) around 8.30pm on Thursday.
Tawau MMEA Director Capt Shahrizan Raman said a patrol vessel spotted the boat, believed to be heading to Sebatik Island, some 1.7 nautical miles south-west of Sungai Logpond.
“Upon inspection, we found the vessel was registered as a passenger boat but was used to transport goods instead,” he said in a statement, Friday.
He said the boat was operated by a local man and an Indonesian, both aged 67.
“They were transporting 29 boxes containing 493kg of cooking oil and 20 packets containing 480kg of sugar.
“They were unable to produce any permit allowing them to transport the items,” he said.
Shahrizan said they then escorted the boat to the Tawau MMEA jetty where the suspects were detained.
The case is being investigated under the Ports and Harbours Enactment 2002 for misuse of licence as well as the Customs Act 1967 for illegally transporting controlled goods.
The total value of the seized items and boat was estimated at RM30,000.
