KUCHING: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here detained three crew members and a foreign fishing boat on suspicion of attempting to smuggle packs of sugar and rice out of Sarawak.
MMEA Sarawak director First Admiral Kamal Ariffin Jusoh said that the arrest was made in Tanjung Datu waters around 8.10 pm last Saturday (May 4).
Acting on gathered intelligence, a MMEA patrol boat intercepted the boat, believed to be of Indonesian origin, about 4.2 nautical miles north of Sematan.
“Numerous packs of controlled goods were discovered onboard the vessel, which was operated by three Indonesians, including its skipper.
“The total seizure value, including the boat, is estimated to be around RM300,000,” he said in a statement.
The crew members, aged between 29 and 50, along with the boat were escorted to the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex Jetty (KOMTAS) for further action.
The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1963 and the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Kamal urged the maritime community to promptly report any suspicious activities, maritime crimes, or emergencies at sea directly to the MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544.
