Five detained for smuggling lobster larvae in Johor

Five men have been arrested by the police after attempting to smuggle lobster larvae on a boat from a neighboring country. The authorities were alerted when the boat was sighted near a jetty in Legaran Air Gemuruh in Sedili at around 5.30pm on September 11. The marine intelligence team in Pengerang received the information and proceeded to search the area. During the search, they discovered 50 styrofoam boxes, each one containing 150 lobster larvae packed in 24 clear plastic bags. Since the suspects could not produce a permit for the lobster seeds, they were arrested to assist in the investigation. The suspects range in age from 21 to 43 years old.

The incident is currently being investigated under Section 40 of the Fisheries Act 1953, which carries a minimum fine of RM500 to RM20,000 if convicted. The police chief of Johor, Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat, has warned individuals involved in similar activities to cease their actions immediately as the authorities will not hesitate to take legal action against them. He has also encouraged the public to report any sightings related to such illegal smuggling activities to the police. For anyone with information, they can call the Johor police hotline at 07-2212 999 or visit the nearest police station.