PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has busted 851 cases connected to various maritime offences from January until July this year, with total seizures amounting to RM84mil.
Its acting deputy director-general of operations Rear Admiral (M) Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said the cases involved offences such as intrusion by foreign fishermen, human trafficking, smuggling of cigarettes, alcohol, subsidised goods and vessel violations.
“There has yet to be any arrests linked to firearms smuggling but the MMEA, with the cooperation of all enforcement agencies in the country, will continue to conduct operations and exchange related information.
“The most common forms of smuggling include cigarettes, people and drugs,” he told reporters after launching the MMEA Merdeka programme here yesterday, Bernama reported.
On new methods used by syndicates, he said that drones are now used to monitor areas before smuggling attempts are conducted.
“When I was working in northern Malaysia, they would smuggle cockle spats, ketum and drugs, and usually syndicates would fly drones.
“Thanks to the partnership with the police and armed forces at the border, we foiled several smuggling attempts,” he said, adding that the introduction of certain apps also became a challenge for the MMEA to conduct operations on land.
On new MMEA assets, he said the agency will procure assets such as the AgustaWestland AW189 helicopter and a former United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) to boost operations.
“We will receive four AW189 helicopters that can also conduct search and rescue operations over a wider area,” he added.
