KUANTAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) recorded RM2.95bil in seizures and detained 516 suspects for various offences from January to June.
Its director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said the achievement was the result of the agency’s continued commitment in safeguarding and enforcing the sovereignty of the nation’s waters.
The seizures included local boats valued at RM2.11bil, followed by drugs (RM86.06mil), foreign fishing vessels (RM66mil), smuggled cigarettes (RM25.16mil), prawns (RM5.2mil) and diesel (RM3.33mil).
"MMEA will continue to intensify operations to ensure controlled and subsidised goods are not smuggled out of the country, as well as to curb attempts to evade taxes," he told reporters after the Santuni Madani and Sahabat Maritim programmes at Pantai Rekreasi Balok here on Thursday (July 16).
The programmes were held to engage coastal communities in raising awareness on maritime safety, while strengthening strategic cooperation between enforcement agencies and local communities.
Adm Rosli said MMEA would also continue to strengthen maritime security, search and rescue (SAR) operations, and maritime crime prevention.
He said MMEA is also involved in Ops Tiris together with other enforcement agencies.
"One of the latest successes was the foiling of a cigarette smuggling attempt in Tawau, Sabah, on June 23, involving seized cigarettes and a vessel estimated to be worth RM64mil.
"Integrated operations like this will continue ... to ensure the nation’s waters remain safe and free from cross-border criminal activities," he said. – Bernama
