KOTA KINABALU: Maritime officials thwarted an attempt to smuggle out a motorcycle and petrol worth around RM50,000 off Felda Sahabat in Tungku, Lahad Datu, on Wednesday (Oct 14).
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Lahad Datu director Maritime Commander Dzulfikhar Ali said a patrol team received information about a suspicious boat.
"When they went to check the area close to Kg Sinakut Tengah, they saw the boat and attempted to approach but it sped away," he said in a statement.
The boatman steered the boat close to shore before leaving the vessel and escaping into the thicket nearby, he added.
Cmdr Dzulfikhar said an inspection of the abandoned boat led to the discovery of about 240 litres of petrol and a motorcycle on board.
"We believe these items were meant to be smuggled out of the country," he said, adding that all seized items were brought back to the Felda Sahabat maritime base for further action.
He said MMEA would continue operations and enforcement to prevent smuggling and protect the nation's sovereignty.
He urged the public to report any illegal activities to the Lahad Datu maritime operations centre via WhatsApp at 016-930 5727 or the 999 emergency number.
