SANDAKAN: The Region 4 Marine Police succeeded in foiling three attempts to smuggle subsidised cooking oil to a neighbouring country at 12.05am on Friday in Sandakan waters.
Region 4 Commander ACP Ahmad Ariffin said three arrests involving 620 packets of subsidies 1kg cooking oil were made during the Gelora Operation.
“The first and second cases involved detention of boats intercepted by the Marine Police’s Patrol Boat north of Nunuyan waters.
“Upon inspection of the first boat, we detained two male Filipino suspects who acted as the boat master and assistant. We found 170 packets of subsidised 1kg cooking oil.
“In the second boat, we also found 170 packets of cooking oil.
“The third arrest was a result of tips from the suspects in the earlier arrests. They brought us to a house in a squatter area by the riverside of Mangkalinau.
“The house was used as a transit point for subsidised cooking oil which was then transferred to different boats to be smuggled into the Philippines.
“There, we discovered another 289 packets of subsidised 1kg cooking oil.
“The total value of the boats and cooking oil seized is estimated at RM42,689.30.
“All suspects and items seized were handed over to personnel from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumers’ Affairs for further action,” he added.
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