MMEA detains seven Indonesians for smuggling cigarettes worth RM1.86 mln

ALOR GAJAH: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained seven Indonesian men suspected of smuggling contraband cigarettes worth RM1.86 million using a cargo vessel in Tanjung Bidara waters, here on Friday night.

Melaka/Negeri Sembilan MMEA deputy director Maritime Commander Azman Samsudin, said the vessel, worth RM600,000 and carrying a group of men, aged 22 to 50, including a skipper, was detected at 6.2 nautical miles southwest of the beach at about 11.10pm.

“The suspicious looking vessel was detected entering the country’s waters via the MMEA marine surveillance system radar in Lumut before we received the information.

“A team comprising an officer and four personnel rushed to that location using Petir 91 boat before they spotted the cargo boat carrying the name Rezki Mulia 1,” he told reporters at a press conference here yesterday.

He said two fishing boats were also detected milling around and suspected to be in the midst of unloading some of the cigarettes but they managed to escape towards Kuala Sepang, Selangor.

He said further investigation found a total of 1,200 boxes containing 50 cartons of cigarettes each, of Canyon and U2 brands, which were covered with canvas to avoid detection.

Azman said the cigarettes were believed to have been smuggled from Indonesia for the local market, and were in great demand among the locals and foreigners. — Bernama