The Malaysian coastguard thwarted an effort to smuggle around 3,400 litres of subsidised petrol into the southern Philippines. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) intercepted a medium boat carrying 17 blue barrels approximately 1.4 nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Layag Layag off the state’s northern Pitas district on Saturday (Feb 10).
Commander Maurice Grenville Abeyeratne, the director of MMEA Kudat Maritime Zone, revealed that the suspect was able to steer towards shallow waters, abandoning the boat and fleeing towards the mangrove swamp. Coastguard patrols carrying out Ops Pluto and Ops Tiris were alerted by the public to the suspicious boat’s movement in the area.
Upon arrival at the location, the patrol team observed the boat and attempted to dock alongside it, but the skipper sped off towards the shallow area and abandoned the boat. Both the petrol and the boat, valued at about RM20,000, were seized for further investigation under the Supply Control Act 1961.
In a separate incident, MMEA Kudat detained a Landing Craft-type cargo vessel in waters off Lok Bon, Pitas, on the same day. The detention was prompted by the Lahad Datu Marine Department informing MMEA that the vessel had moved from its anchorage location without permission. Four crew members, aged between 20 and 52, were detained to facilitate investigations under various shipping laws, including for sailing from Lahad Datu without permission and having poor safety conditions on the ship with many licenses not renewed.
It was discovered that the ship had moved away from its position through the radar surveillance system called Swasla.
