KUDAT: The Kudat Zone Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) detained a boat with three suspects, including two Filipinos, trying to smuggle in four cows and four goats in waters here on Thursday.
Kudat Maritime Zone Director, Maritime Commander Maurice Grenville Abeyeratne said, the Kudat Maritime Zone Operations Centre received detected suspicious movement from the Sabah Maritime Surveillance System (SWASLA)at 12.27am.
Based on the information received, the boat was located approximately 12.3 nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Pulun Batu, Balambangan.
He said the Kudat Maritime patrol boats were immediately ordered to investigate.
“At about 1.50am, a boat was spotted moving suspiciously at 2.8 nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Tiga Papan and was subsequently detained for checks.
“Three individuals were found in the boat, one of whom was a local while the other two were Filipinos aged between 46 and 54 years old.
“Inspections found that one of them did not have any valid identification documents while the other had questionable identification documents.
“Further inspection also found four live goats and four live cows in the boat that were brought without a valid permit from the authorities, believed to be for market purposes, he said.
According to Maurice, the suspects along with the boat and its cargo, were detained for further investigation.
The total value of seizures, including the boat, is estimated to be over RM35,000.
The case is being investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961 and the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Animal Welfare Enactment 2015 and the Sabah Ports and Docks Department Enactment 2002 for not having a Boat License.
