KUCHING: State Marine Police have foiled in attempt to smuggle RM67,649 worth of controlled goods and contraband to a neighbouring country with the arrest of five Indonesian men on Friday.
Among the items seized were gas cylinders, cooking oil, sugar, rice and cartons of contraband alcohol.
The seizure was made during the “Ops Landai” operation after a patrol team spotted a barter ship at a private jetty in Sematan.
Its commander Acp Salehuddin Mat Zaman said marine personnel conducted a search on the boat and found the controlled items hidden in the ship’s storage compartment and storage containers.
“We seized 348 packets of 10kg rice; 25 gas cylinders; 20 boxes of cooking oil (240kg); 13 boxes of sugar (240kg); and 50 cartons of beers (1,200 tin).
“It is suspected that these goods were to be smuggled to Indonesia,” he said in a statement, adding police also seized the barter ship worth around RM48,000.
A police report was lodged at the Sematan police station, following the seizure of the barter ship and controlled goods,
Salehuddin said the men were arrested Control of Supplied Act 1961, Custom Act and under Act 522 of the Control of Padi and Rice Act, adding that the case will be referred to the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry.
