LANGKAWI, Sept 27 — The Kedah and Perlis Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has thwarted an attempt to smuggle 56.5 kilogramme (kg) of syabu worth RM11.3 million after intercepting a foreign fishing boat 2.3 nautical miles north east of Tanjung Kemarong, near here, on Friday.
Its commander, First Maritime Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said, the seizure, which was the biggest this year, was conducted during Op Eagle Eye based on intelligence information and monitoring by the Langkawi Malaysian Maritime SEA Monitoring System (SWASLA) at 1am.
‘’Based on the information, an MMEA lightning boat detected a suspicious looking Thai fishing boat with two suspects on board leaving the territorial waters of a neighbouring country near Tanjung Kemarong.
‘’The boat tried to ram the lightning boat, which had been chasing them for the past 40 minutes, several times, to escape before the two suspects jumped overboard.
‘’The personnel who boarded the boat found two black bags hidden under nets containing 51 Chinese tea packages wrapped in transparent plastic containing white crystals suspected to be syabu,’’ he said.
He said this at a media conference at the Kedah and Perlis MMEA Headquarters in Bukit Malut, here, today.
Mohd Zawawi said MMEA suspected the drugs were believed to be meant for markets abroad and the Langkawi waters were only a transit.
He said the syabu and the wooden fishing boat were taken to the Kedah and Penang MMEA Headquarters in Bukit Malut for investigation under Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Section 307 and 186 of the Penal Code.
‘’MMEA have also mobilised a search and rescue for the two suspects. However, they have yet to be found due to the rough seas,’’ he added. — Bernama
