LAHAD DATU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt by a boat to smuggle out 1,428kg cooking oil in packets via Tanjung Batu waters, here, on Saturday.
Lahad Datu Maritime Zone Director, Maritime Commander Dzulfikhar Ali said, acting on intelligence, the MMEA team spotted the suspicious boat at about 6am about 0.2 nautical miles from south of Tanjung Batu.
“Upon realizing the presence of enforcement team, the boat immediately sped towards land before the boat skipper jumped into the water to escape.
“Result of inspection on the boat found 84 boxes of cooking oil hid inside black-color plastic,” he said, in a statement on Saturday.
According to Dzulfikhar, all the seizures including the boat were taken to Maritime Felda Sahabat post jetty for further action.
He said, all the seizures were estimated worth RM10,000.
“The case would be investigated under the Control of Supply Act 1961,” he added.
In the meantime, MMEA urges members of the public to convey any information on crime activities or emergency by contacting the Lahad Datu Maritime Zone via Whatsapp at 016-9305727 or 999.
