Langkawi MMEA foils attempt to smuggle cigarettes worth RM200,000

A group of smugglers who assumed enforcement in Langkawi will be relaxed during the Ramadan month were proven wrong when their activities were detected by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here.

MMEA Maritime District 1 enforcement chief, First Admiral Zulkarnain Mohd Omar said the smugglers were spotted trying to smuggle nearly 10,000 packets of contraband cigarettes, in the waters off north of the island, on Sunday.

"While patrolling, MMEA team onboard DM1 patrol boat detected suspicious activities when they saw three wooden boats moored at Sungai Kisap," he told reporters here yesterday.

Upon inspection the boats were found to be laden with 9,220 packets of Astro, Rave, John Black and Bingo cigarette brands, believed to be smuggled from the duty-free island, he said.

"The three wooden boats were abandoned by the owners and the suspects were believed to have fled into the mangrove swamps nearby," he said.

Zulkarnain believed the seized cigarettes, estimated to be worth more than RM200,000 was bound for mainland Kedah and Perlis or to neighbouring countries.