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TAWAU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle 30 cylinders of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to a neighbouring country after intercepting a boat in Tawau waters on Sunday.

Tawau Maritime director Ariffin Ghazali said a local man, believed to be the boat’s skipper, was detained for transporting the controlled goods without a valid permit.

He said the suspect was believed to be attempting to smuggle the LPG cylinders out of the country and checks found his name was not listed in the registration details of the vessel he was operating.

Ariffin said the arrest was carried out by an MMEA enforcement team during Op Pluto Timur and Op Tiris after receiving intelligence on a suspicious boat heading towards Pulau Sebatik from Jeti Batu 3 Jalan Apas at about 6.20am.

He added the boat was intercepted about 1.6 nautical miles south of Batu 3 Jalan Apas and the suspect, along with the seized items estimated to be worth more than RM30,000, was taken to the Tawau Maritime Jetty for further action under the Supply Control Act 1961 and the Sabah Ports and Harbours Department Enactment 2002.