Contraband courier leads Sabah cops on three-hour chase through three districts
The suspect's van was later found to contain over RM1mil worth of smuggled cigarettes.
He had driven off during an operation near Silam in Lahad Datu at around midnight on Thursday (Aug 7).
His van was among three that had been stopped by police for inspection.
Sabah Region Four marine police commander Asst Comm Nazri Ibrahim said some of the personnel in the operation stayed back to inspect the other two vans, while the rest gave chase.
'The driver drove towards Kunak, prompting police from the Kunak station to join in the chase," he said on Friday (Aug 8).
Despite the pursuit vehicles' blaring sirens and repeated calls on their loudspeakers for him to pull over, the suspect continued speeding towards Tawau.
Police from the Tawau station were then roped in to join in the chase, ACP Nazri said.
Finally, about three hours into it, the driver crashed into a tree as they entered Kampung Titingan.
ACP Nazri said the suspect would still not go quietly and tried to flee on foot, but was eventually caught.
Contraband cigarettes were also found in the other two vans, bringing the total value of the seizure to RM3.09mil, he added.
He said all three drivers were arrested, while the contraband was taken to the marine police base for further investigation.
ACP Nazri said Sabah marine police have recorded 57 cigarette smuggling cases between January and August, with a total seizure value of over RM24.3mil.
'A total of 43 suspects were nabbed during this period,' he said, adding that Sabah marine police would continue raids and operations to fight crime, including smuggling.
He urged the public to continue providing information on any suspicious activity.
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Published on: Saturday, August 09, 2025 Published on: Sat, Aug 09, 2025 By: Amir Anuar Text Size: The van that crashed into a tree. TAWAU: A cigarette smuggler's attempt to escape arrest by speeding 200km from Lahad Datu to here ended when he crashed into a tree in Kg Titingan early Friday. Sabah Region 4 Marine Police (PPM) Commander, ACP Mohd Nazri Ibrahim, said the suspect's arrest, along with the seizure of 678,400 sticks of cigarettes of various brands and a white van – all worth more than RM1 million – took place at around 2.20 am. Advertisement 'The suspect, a 43-year-old foreigner male, and the seized goods have been brought to the Tawau Operations Base for further investigation,' he said in a statement. Nazri said the initial attempt to arrest the suspect occurred in the Silam area, when the van was seen acting suspiciously. However, the suspect made a desperate move by speeding towards Kunak before entering Tawau. The suspect's refusal to stop despite being ordered led the Marine Enforcement Unit (Ungerin) and the Marine Intelligence Unit (URM) to seek assistance from the police teams at the Kunak and Tawau District Police Headquarters. 'The chase and arrest were successful after the van lost control and crashed into a tree near a residential area in Kg Titingan, which is located on the outskirts,' he added. Advertisement Nazri said the suspect acted aggressively and again tried to flee, but was apprehended at the scene. An inspection found van loaded with black plastic packages containing smuggled cigarettes from various brands. An investigation was launched under the Customs Act 1967 concerning the act of protecting, storing, and concealing goods without customs duty or legal authorization. 'PPM Region 4 remains committed to combating smuggling activities and welcomes information from the public to ensure the safety and well-being of the country,' he said. Earlier, a one-minute and 13-second video showing authorities chasing the suspect's van until its arrest went viral on social media after being uploaded to the agency's official Facebook page. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
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Contraband courier leads Sabah cops on three-hour chase through three districts
KOTA KINABALU: An undocumented migrant led police from three districts on a three-hour chase only to be caught after crashing his van into a tree. The suspect's van was later found to contain over RM1mil worth of smuggled cigarettes. He had driven off during an operation near Silam in Lahad Datu at around midnight on Thursday (Aug 7). His van was among three that had been stopped by police for inspection. Sabah Region Four marine police commander Asst Comm Nazri Ibrahim said some of the personnel in the operation stayed back to inspect the other two vans, while the rest gave chase. 'The driver drove towards Kunak, prompting police from the Kunak station to join in the chase," he said on Friday (Aug 8). Despite the pursuit vehicles' blaring sirens and repeated calls on their loudspeakers for him to pull over, the suspect continued speeding towards Tawau. Police from the Tawau station were then roped in to join in the chase, ACP Nazri said. Finally, about three hours into it, the driver crashed into a tree as they entered Kampung Titingan. ACP Nazri said the suspect would still not go quietly and tried to flee on foot, but was eventually caught. Contraband cigarettes were also found in the other two vans, bringing the total value of the seizure to RM3.09mil, he added. He said all three drivers were arrested, while the contraband was taken to the marine police base for further investigation. ACP Nazri said Sabah marine police have recorded 57 cigarette smuggling cases between January and August, with a total seizure value of over RM24.3mil. 'A total of 43 suspects were nabbed during this period,' he said, adding that Sabah marine police would continue raids and operations to fight crime, including smuggling. He urged the public to continue providing information on any suspicious activity.
