TAWAU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained two skippers and seized goods worth more than RM34,000 in separate operations in the waters off here on Wednesday.
Tawau Maritime Zone Director Shahrizan Raman said in the first incident around 1.40pm, a skipper believed to be involved in smuggling illegal immigrants was arrested 6.7 nautical miles southwest of the Tanjung Doris estuary.
“The suspect was operating a wooden boat and making suspicious movements from Sungai Serudung towards Sungai Kalabakan.
He failed to produce valid identification documents or a boat registration license,” Shahrizan said.
Checks on the man’s mobile phone revealed conversations indicating he was involved in smuggling illegal immigrants into the interior areas.
In a second operation around 3.45pm the same day, MMEA personnel detained a 28-year-old local male skipper 0.6 nautical miles southeast of the Tawau CIQ jetty.
A check on his passenger boat yielded 200kg of white rice, 100 litres of petrol and two liquefied petroleum gas cylinders which the skipper did not have permits.
Shahrizan said both skippers, their boats and the seized goods were handed over to investigators for further action under relevant laws, including the Sabah Ports and Jetties Enactment, the Supply Control Act 1961, the Customs Act 1967 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.
He said the MMEA would continue to intensify enforcement against any unlawful activities at sea and urged the public to report information on such crimes to the operations centre at 089-750116 or MERS 999.
