KUDAT: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle 5,000 litres of petrol and detained a Filipino on Thursday.
Kudat Maritime Zone Director, Maritime Commander Hasbullah Omar, said a special operation was conducted near Pulau Mandi Darah following reports of frequent fuel smuggling activities in Kudat waters.
Acting on intelligence, a patrol boat was deployed to the area, where it detected a darkened boat near Telukan Paitan at 4.30am, leading to a pursuit.
Two individuals jumped into the sea in an escape attempt, but one suspect, a 28-year-old Filipino without identification documents, was apprehended along with 25 barrels of petrol.
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