Not above board: MMEA personnel detaining the two men and inspecting the subsidised goods found on the boat near Tanjung Batu.
KOTA KINABALU: A cargo boat carrying three tonnes of controlled goods without a permit was intercepted by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) near Tanjung Batu, Tawau.
Tawau maritime zone director Maritime Kapt Shahrizan Raman said the vessel was detected by patrol ship KM Medang during Op Pagar Laut 1/2025 on Tuesday evening while en route from Jeti Makmur to Pulau Sebatik.
“The cargo boat was manned by a 30-year-old local skipper and a 25-year-old Indonesian assistant.
“Checks found that the skipper failed to provide permits for the controlled goods and only had documents for general retail items,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Upon further checks, 2,110kg of sugar and 820kg of subsidised cooking oil packets were hidden on board. The boat along with the cargo and engine valued at RM40,000 was seized.
The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Meanwhile, in Sandakan, maritime surveillance is being ramped up due to the district’s strategic location near international waters.
Deputy director of operations Maritime Commander Ahmad Firdaus Shaari said there are more patrols and operations targeting smuggling and illegal activities at sea under Op Tiris and Op Pagar Laut.
He noted that 4,200 vessel inspections and searches had been conducted so far this year, leading to five arrests.
Efforts to curb fuel and cooking oil smuggling had also been strengthened through collaboration with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, he added.
“With this cooperation, we can detect smuggling attempts earlier and intercept them before the goods leave our waters.
“Last year, we seized two vessels carrying nearly 300,000 litres of fuel which was handed over to the government,” he told reporters after a breaking of fast event at the MMEA’s Sandakan office on Wednesday.
Despite rough weather conditions, Ahmad Firdaus said all maritime assets remain fully operational, with at least six to eight patrol units deployed daily for maritime security.
