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SANDAKAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) intercepted and detained a vessel suspected of smuggling 1,000 litres of petrol here.

Sandakan Maritime Zone Director Maritime Captain Muhamad Suhairy Hussain said the vessel was detained following a chase at 0.2 nautical miles southeast of Kg Bonggaya Baru, at 11.25pm, on Monday.

He said a MMEA patrol craft detected the suspicious vessel near Pulau Bai at 10.30pm and ordered it to stop for inspection using loudspeakers and sirens.

“Realising the presence of enforcement personnel, the boat’s skipper sped off towards the village and managed to escape,” he said.

An inspection of the vessel revealed it has no registration number.

Further inspection, Muhammad Suhairy said, found 40 barrels containing about 1,000 litres of subsidised petrol without a valid permit.

He said the vessel together with the fuel, worth an estimated RM21,000, was brought to the Sandakan Maritime Zone Jetty and handed over to the investigating officers.

The case is being investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961.