JOHOR BARU, Dec 22 ― The Johor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) busted a drug smuggling syndicate ferrying 100 kilogrammes of syabu (crystal methamphetamine) estimated to be worth RM5.1 million hidden in a fishing boat yesterday.

The authorities stopped the boat in the waters off the Tanjung Pelepas Port (PTP) near Pasir Gudang at 9.45 last night.

MMEA Deputy Director-General (operations), Rear Admiral Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan said its enforcement team had found a boat  moving out of the Sungai Boh estuary to the waters of Tanjung Piai in Pontian and was heading towards the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border and suspected it may be involved in illegal activity.

"Realising the presence of the MMEA enforcement boat, the fibre boat turned off its lights and sped off to a nearby mangrove swamp area.

"The suspected smuggler managed to escape into the mangrove swamp after abandoning his boat at 0.5 nautical miles southwest of PTP,” said Kamaruszaman during a press conference at the Johor MMEA headquarters in Menara Tabung Haji here today.

Kamaruszaman said investigators believe the smuggler was on his way to send the illicit drugs to a neighboring country after crossing the Malaysian national borders.

"An inspection found that the drugs were placed in four bags of clothing and a box.

"Further examination found that there were 98 packets of Chinese tea packages containing crystal powder that was believed to be syabu. Each package of Chinese tea was estimated to weigh about one kilogramme,” he said.

Kamaruszaman said the latest seizure was the sixth and largest success for the Johor MMEA.

He said the fibre boat with a 25 horsepower engine was estimated to be worth RM12,000.

"We are investigating whether the suspected smuggler was part of a syndicate similar to the drug smuggling syndicate that we busted in Penang on December 7.

"This is based on the similar Chinese tea packs used to pack the drugs,” said Kamaruszaman, adding that the suspect’s modus operandi and the case was still under investigation.

Kamaruszaman said the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.