SEMPORNA: Two Palauh (sea gypsies or Bajau Laut) – whose suspicious activities in Sabah waters were raised in the ongoing State Legislative Assembly – were nabbed at Singamata waters for smuggling in 10 Filipinos via a tempel boat at 12.30pm during an Ops Gelora Khas launched by Marine Police here.
Sabah Region 4 Marine Police Commander, ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali, said the boat using three units of pump engines was coming in from Bongao, Philippines.
It was detained by personnel from Marine Battle Unit (UNGERINE) and RH46 Combat Boat who acted upon receiving information from Marine Intelligent Unit (URM).
Mohd Pajeri said the team found the Pa lau boat skipper, 40, carrying 10 passengers comprising five men, three women and two girls. Also detained, was another Palauh man, 20, who was the skipper’s assistant.
“During interrogation the passengers admitted they were charged about Peso 2,500 each for the Bongao-Semporna route,” he said.
The boat and its three pump engines estimated worth about RM10,863 were also seized.
Mohamad Pajeri said the case was being investigated under Immigration Act 1959/63 and Anti Human Trafficking and Smuggle of Migrant Act 2007 (Amendment 2010).
In the State Assembly this week, acting opposition leader Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said many Pa lau’s were believed to be acting as informants for the Filipino Abu Sayyaf terror group that have been behind all the cross-border kidnappings off the east coast.
In SANDAKAN, Marine police foiled human trafficking activities while patrolling the sea of Tanjung Aru, at 11.45 pm, on Monday.
ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali said they managed to track down and intercept a speedboat from Taganak Island to Sandakan.
One Filipino aged 19, the skipper, was believed to be behind the migrants smuggling. Five men and six women all Filipino aged between 18 and 47 were arrested.
One boat and two unit of Yamaha 40 horsepower was also seized.
All the passengers admitted paying the skipper to bring them to Sabah.
In LAHAD DATU, Marine police seized five explosives from a pump boat believed used as fish bombs near Kunak Jaya waters, Tuesday afternoon.
ACP Mohd Pajeri said a team of marine police made the bust after succeeding in tracking down the boat at 2pm. He said they managed to stop the boat but two men who were on board managed to flee to the water village near Sri Langgas.
Pajeri said the items including the boat and its engine worth RM2,575 were brought back to the Lahad Datu Marine Police Operation Headquarters for further investigation under the Fisheries Act 1985.
