MMEA foils illegal crossings near Sandakan, detains 19 including fuel-laden ‘ghost boat'
SANDAKAN, May 15 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained 19 individuals simultaneously, thwarting two attempts to cross the border from the Philippines in separate operations in the north-east of Pulau Berhala here, last Tuesday.
The Sandakan Maritime Zone Director, Captain (Maritime) Muhamad Suhairy Hussain said the 19 detainees ranged in age from eight to 70 years old, and there were three women among them, while the majority of the detainees did not possess valid identification documents.
'The first incident occurred at 11.49am when KM Pintar detected a suspicious vessel about one nautical mile from the north-east of Berhala, believed to be from Taganak Island, Philippines.
'The vessel was carrying 12 men including the skipper and three women, one of whom attempted to bribe the on-duty officers but failed, and the money was seized as evidence.
'At 12 noon, the operation team intercepted a 'ghost boat' at a position 4.3 nautical miles from Pulau Berhala, with four men including a local citizen on board.
'They found 12 drums containing 300 liters of petrol, in addition to 700 liters of petrol filled in the boat's main tank. This fuel is believed to be used for journeys between Malaysia and the Philippines,' he said in a statement here today.
Muhamad Suhairy also described the discovery of petrol as a floating death trap because the small boat was overloaded with fuel without any safety features, and it is believed that this boat was involved in silent cross-border activities.
He said both cases will be investigated under the Sabah Ports and Harbors Enactment 2002, the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, including the Supply Control Act 1961.
He urged the public with any information related to cross-border crime to contact the agency. — Bernama
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