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LABUAN:  Labuan marine police seized a vessel laden with 450,000 litres of diesel, all worth more than RM2.4 million, on Thursday for alleged possession of the fuel without valid permit.  The vessel was seized after the skipper failed to produce the fuel’s purchase and sale record. 

Sabah Marine Police (Region 4) commander ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali said the vessel was seized at 5 pm during an integrated operation dubbed ‘Ops Gelora Khas’ carried out with officials from Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Labuan.

He said the seizure was the biggest in Labuan marine operations this year.

“Our team was patrolling the Labuan waters when the vessel was spotted near the Labuan port. Upon checking, our team found nearly half a million litres of diesel without permit and approval from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, which is an offence under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.

“The vessel skipper failed to produce the necessary documents, and we suspected something fishy and immediately seized and towed the vessel to our jetty,” Mohamad Pajeri said to Bernama.

The 43 year-old Indonesian skipper alongside six Malaysian crew members, aged between 26 and 40, were also detained for further questioning.

The diesel estimated to be worth RM963,000 while the vessel, worth RM1,437,000 may be impounded for violating the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.