GEORGE TOWN – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has made its biggest drug bust in 13 years, with the seizure of 2,118kg of methamphetamine worth RM105.9 million near Teluk Kumbar on Wednesday.
Officers also detained a man and a recreational boat in the operation conducted 5.3 nautical miles south of Pulau Kendi.
Director-general Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som said the blue-and-white vessel operated by the suspect raised suspicions when personnel detected it about 11.30am.
“MMEA’s patrol boat followed the vessel closely before demanding that the man stop, but the suspect ignored the order and increased the boat’s speed.
“He jumped into the sea after a 30-minute chase. The vessel sped off, unmanned.
“MMEA officers later arrested the 26-year-old and stopped the vessel,” he told a press conference here today.
Checks of the boat revealed 30 sacks containing 1,998 tea packets filled with methamphetamine, believed to have been brought in from Indonesia.
Zubil said investigations showed that the suspect was paid between RM5,000 and RM10,000 each time he smuggled in drugs.
“Our investigations also found that the man, who is unemployed, had come out from Sg Juru on another boat. He approached international waters and switched vessels to the one with the drugs on board.
“His boat would be manned by another individual, who is part of the trafficking syndicate, and brought to the neighbouring country.”
He said the suspect admitted that it was his third time smuggling in drugs, with previous trips in October and November involving various types of substances weighing 1,000kg.
The seized drugs are believed to be for distribution to the syndicate’s network, to be smuggled into Thailand, where the narcotics fetch three times the price as in Malaysia.
“The syndicate’s modus operandi is to bring in the drugs by sea during the daytime to avoid detection by MMEA as they think we conduct operations and patrols only at night,” said Zubil.
“This is the biggest haul by MMEA in 13 years.”
He said the suspect has been remanded for seven days, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – Bernama, December 13, 2020
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