MMEA foils attempt to smuggle out five tonnes of ketum leaves worth about RM900,000

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ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has foiled an attempt to smuggle out ketum leaves, estimated to be worth RM900,000, right into a neighbouring nation, early Tuesday (Jan 4) morning. The seizure was made at a place 2.0 nautical miles (nm) from Kuala Kedah estuary, right here.

Kedah and Perlis MMEA director Mohd Zawawi Abdullah stated an MMEA boat was dispatched to the placement at about 1.40am primarily based on data and his crew’s surveillance concerning large-scale smuggling actions within the waters.

“A fibre boat with out a registration quantity was detected heading out of the estuary and once they (smugglers) realised the presence of the authorities, they sped off in the direction of close by land.

“However, the boat was intercepted and two native males of their 30s had been detained. An inspection of the boat yielded 200 black plastic packages weighing two tonnes. The packages had been suspected to comprise ketum leaves,” he stated at a press convention, right here on Wednesday (Jan 5).

He stated following the 2 suspects’ detention, his crew discovered one other 300 black plastic packages containing three tonnes of ketum leaves at an unloading location 4.0 nm east of Kuala Kedah.

According to Mohd Zawawi, the ketum leaves had been within the course of of being smuggled by sea to a neighbouring nation, because the market worth for ketum leaves in Thailand is greater than RM180 a kilogramme (kg) in contrast to RM40 a kg within the native market.

He stated the 2 suspects had been believed to have been paid a wage of about RM700 for every supply primarily based on the load of the leaves delivered.

He additionally stated that the ketum leaves and the twin-engine fibre boat have been confiscated and brought to the Kuala Kedah Maritime Zone jetty for additional motion.

“This is the largest seizure for Maritime Malaysia this yr. Even although many seizures and arrests have been made earlier than, smugglers proceed this exercise so as to take the straightforward approach to generate a profitable revenue,” he added. – Bernama



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