Tawau: The PASKAL Navy team in Semporna seized a total of 135 cartons of white cigarette of Astro branded worth about RM6,075.00 from two Suluk-Filipino men at Gaya island, off Semporna, at about 10.15pm, Saturday.
District Maritime Enforcement Chief, Captain Anor Jaafar said the case was handed over to Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here for further action.
He said a total of 32 empty gallons were also seized from the suspects, aged 20 and 35. Both were also found to have no identification documents.
Anor said the suspects' pump boat was detected by the Navy PASKAL patrol boat.
"After inspection, we found the two suspects on board with three sacks of cigarettes and the empty gallons.
"The cigarettes were believed to be for the local market, while the empty gallon to be refilled in Semporna and smuggled back to the Philippines," he said.
He added that preliminary investigations showed that both suspects were habitual smugglers of controlled items from Malaysia.
The case was being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Customs Act 1967 and Section 31(2) of the Police Act (Curfew Order).
Meanwhile on Sunday, MMEA detained seven Indonesians comprising four men, three women and a boy at Tawau waters at about 5.58pm for illegally sneaking out from Malaysia.
Anor said all the paperless adult suspects in their 40s and 50s were detained by a patrol boat after checking the boat which was moving towards Sungai Nyamuk, Indonesia.
He urged members of the public to channel any information or sea crime by contacting MERS 999 or DM18 Operation Centre at 089-752115. (Daily Express)
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