The drums containing petrol that were seized in Pitas.
KOTA KINABALU: The marine police thwarted an attempt to smuggle petrol out of Sabah’s northernmost Pitas district.
Sabah Region Four Marine Police commander Asst Comm Ahmad Ariffin said the marine team was patrolling a jetty area at Kampung Pagason when they noticed a group of people unloading drums from a pump boat to the jetty at 9.30am on Wednesday (Feb 7).
“The suspects scampered away after noticing our presence and escaped using the pump boat,” he said when contacted on Thursday (Feb 8).
He said that on checking, they found 110 drums containing petrol abandoned at the jetty and in a swamp jungle.
“The seized petrol is estimated to be worth RM40,000,” he added.
ACP Ahmad said police believed the group had intended to smuggle the fuel into a neighbouring country, adding the case was investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 for the offence of selling controlled supplies without a licence.
He said the marine police would step up their patrols and enforcement efforts to combat smuggling and other criminal activities in the district.
