KUDAT: The Kudat Zone Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) seized nine packets of syabu in a smuggling attempt into Kudat waters here early yesterday morning.
Kudat Maritime Zone Director, Maritime Commander Maurice Grenville Abeyeratne, said acting on a tip their patrol boat in Op Pagar Laut operations was immediately moved to the location at around 4.30 am.
He said a boat was spotted moving in a suspicious manner about 0.2 nautical miles east of Bankawan Island in Banggi.
He said while trying to approach the boat it suddenly sped off towards shallow areas of the nearby mangrove swamp.
“At about 4.50am, a blue pump boat without a registration number was found without passengers.
The suspects were believed to have abandoned the boat and jumped into the sea and escaped.
“Further inspection we found nine packets believed to be syabu weighing about 400 grams,” he said.
He said the boat was brought into Kudat Marina Jetty and handed over to the investigating officer for investigation under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Maurice said the seizures were estimated to be worth over RM50,000.
