KELANTAN MMEA FOILS CIGARETTE SMUGGLING ATTEMPT ALONG SUNGAI GOLOK

PASIR PUTEH, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- An attempt to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes through Sungai Golok was thwarted when the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Kelantan branch seized nearly one million sticks abandoned on the riverbank early on Jan 31.

Kelantan MMEA director Maritime Captain Erwan Shah Soahdi said intelligence received at 1.30am indicated a suspicious speedboat travelling from Tak Bai, Thailand, towards Galeri Tengku Anis in Tumpat.

Following the tip-off, nearby MMEA assets were immediately deployed to monitor and intercept the vessel.

Around 2am, the boat was spotted moving at high speed before turning back towards Tak Bai after its crew realised enforcement officers were in the area. A pursuit was launched but the vessel managed to escape into Thai waters.

“Subsequent patrols led to the discovery at 2.13am of boxes of cigarettes wrapped in transparent plastic left on the Sungai Golok riverbank near Galeri Tengku Anis,” he told a press conference at the Kelantan MMEA headquarters today.

Checks found 94 boxes containing 940,000 sticks of duty-unpaid white cigarettes worth an estimated RM640,000.

No arrests were made as the suspects are believed to have fled prior to the authorities’ arrival.

The seized goods, suspected to be linked to offences under the Customs Act 1967, were taken to the state headquarters and handed over to investigating officers for further action.

Erwan Shah said the operation demonstrated the agency’s readiness and swift response based on intelligence, adding that MMEA will continue intensifying efforts against smuggling and cross-border crime.

He also urged the public to report suspicious activities via the emergency line 999 or the MMEA Operations Centre at 011-1199 0708 to safeguard national waters.

-- BERNAMA