LABUN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized illicit 400 cartons of Tiger beer worth RM115,000 and detained three men, aged between 41 and 51 from a boat onto a lorry at a rivermouth in Lawas here the other day.
Labuan MMEA Director Capt. Che Adnan Md Isa said a six-man team patrolling the area came across the boat which was speeding towards Lawas at about 7.40pm.
“Our patrol boat tailed the speedboat to the Lawas rivermouth and about an hour later, saw the men unloading the contraband beverages onto a six-ton lorry.
“The team approached and identified themselves, prompting the three men to flee into the mangrove where they were apprehended by the team,” he said, adding, however, that the boat managed to speed off.
He said a sharp object and a machete were found inside a Proton Saga vehicle parked not far from the scene and believed to be connected to the smuggling activity, adding that the driver and his passenger were also detained. The six-ton lorry and confiscated items were brought back to the MMEA Labuan base.
“One suspect is remanded at the Labuan Police Headquarters lock-up while two were released on police bail,” he told a media conference here on Wednesday. It was believed that the contraband beverages were smuggled due to the high demand for the approaching Chinese New Year.
“Lawas is a hotspot for smuggling activities. It might be necessary to set up an MMEA post there,” he said.
Towards this end, Che Adnan praised the community for being the eyes and ears of MMEA, adding that without their tip-off, success in intercepting illegal activities would not have been possible.
MMEA’s biggest haul was in 2013, involving a container vessel and contraband worth about RM3 million near Pulau Papan.
