TAWAU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized a vessel as its skipper failed to present any relevant permit for the cargo it was carrying.
During the incident 3.40pm yesterday, MMEA district maritime director Captain Shahrizan Raman said that based on intelligence, the MMEA patrol boat that was conducting Op Pluto Timur and Op Tiris intercepted the cargo vessel, which was travelling from the Tawau ferry terminal's Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex to Sebatik Island.
Initial inspection of the ship, which was detained 0.6 nautical miles south of Tawau Port, revealed that its 32-year-old male skipper had valid identification documents.
However, the skipper, who was transporting 500kg of local rice, 500kg of Thai rice, 48kg of packaged sugar, and about 120 litres of petrol, failed to present any permit related to the cargo.
The vessel, along with the skipper, was detained and taken to the Tawau Maritime Zone Jetty and handed over to MMEA investigators for investigation under the Customs Act 1967, the Supply Control Act 1961, and the Paddy and Rice Control Act (Act 522).
The estimated value of the seizure, including the cargo and ship, is about RM55,000.
Shahrizan said MMEA would also investigate whether the goods were meant for smuggling.
