ALOR STAR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) uncovered an international drug trafficking syndicate operating within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle with the arrest of two foreigners with 233kg of marijuana worth RM599,200.
The agency seized the drug from an unregistered fishing boat about 4.5 nautical miles from Kuala Kedah at about 12.30am Thursday following a high-speed chase at sea.
Kedah police chief SAC I Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said two youths believed to be Thai and Indonesian nationals, who were on the boat, had been remanded to facilitate investigations.
“The duo, aged 21 and 22, did not have any travel documents.
“Preliminary investigations showed that they were travelling from Satun in Thailand to Penang,” he said.
SAC Syed Ismail said an MMEA team on routine patrol had suspected something amiss when an unlit fishing boat without any registration number was spotted.
“When their patrol boat approached the other vessel, it sped off. After a five-minute chase, the team managed to intercept the other boat,” he told a press conference on Thursday.
SAC Syed Ismail said the MMEA had handed over the suspects to police for further investigation, adding that they tested positive for drugs.
The case is being investigated under Section 39 (B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the death sentence upon conviction.
Also present at the press conference were MMEA northern region enforcement chief Zammani Mod Amin and operations director Kpt Abd Rahim Abdullah.
