PONTIAN – The captain of a ship and a crewman pleaded not guilty at the magistrates’ court here today to a charge of smuggling cigarettes worth RM47.1 million into the country earlier this month.
Myint Aung, 55, a Myanmar national, and Singaporean Seah Tien Lye, 48, entered their plea after the charge was read out to them before magistrate Nur Azzuin Abdul Moati.
The duo were charged with committing the offence on board the MV Chita, three nautical miles southwest of Pulau Kukup, about 8.15pm on March 8.
The court allowed them bail at RM20,000 with two local sureties each, and ordered them to report themselves at the nearest police station each Monday until the disposal of the case.
They were also instructed to surrender their passports to the court.
April 21 was set for mention.
Nine other crew members, aged between 22 and 46, will be charged on April 21, with the postponement to allow the court to get a Burmese interpreter.
Deputy public prosecutor Dewi Jasmine Amalina Ahmad prosecuted, while the two accused were represented by lawyers Mohd Hamizi Mohd Yusof and Ahmad Khairuddin Khalid. – Bernama, March 22, 2021
