Marine species worth RM1.5mil seized

Smuggling bid foiled: Abeyeratne (middle) showing some of the seized items during the press conference.

KOTA KINABALU: Two trawlers were caught carrying hundreds of kilogrammes of dried turtles and shark fins as well as exotic marine life worth around RM1.5mil off Sabah’s northern Kudat district.The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) intercepted the vessels, which were also transporting seahorses and puffer fish, about 58 nautical miles, west of Simpang Mengayau at 12.35pm on Wednesday.

Kudat MMEA director commander Maurice Grenville Abeyeratne said patrol boats from their zone and Labuan spotted the trawlers following information from their intelligence unit.