Marine cops foil cooking oil, fuel smuggling bid in Semporna
23/05/2023 (The Star Online), Kota Kinabalu - The marine police foiled an attempt to smuggle out over 1,000kg of subsidised cooking oil and petrol by three men to the Philippines in Sabah’s east coast Semporna district.
While patrolling waters off Tanjung Larapan at about 10pm on Monday (May 22), marine police personnel spotted a boat with suspicious-looking occupants.
The boat sped off and the authorities gave chase before intercepting it and conducting a search.
They found 70 boxes of various brands of cooking oil and eight jerry cans containing 25 litres of petrol.
The three men on board aged 19, 40 and 55, who did not possess any identification documents but were believed to be Filipinos, were then detained.
The seized items including the boat were estimated to be worth over RM43,000.
Region Four Marine Police commander Asst Comm Ahmad Ariffin confirmed the seizure when contacted on Tuesday (May 23).
The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and has been referred to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry district office, he added.