Marine Police identify latest tactics used by smuggling syndicates
Norzaid (Ctr) with Mohd Rudzuan (L) showing the Double Happiness brand white cigarettes that were confiscated at the press conference on the confiscation of tax-free white cigarettes and vehicles, PPM Pengkalan Kubor. -BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR: Marine Police (PPM) have identified several new tactics used by smuggling syndicates to bring in contraband into the country.
PPM commander DCP Mohd Yusoff Mamat said these tactics include using foreign vessels before transferring the smuggled goods to local vessels such as fishing vessels in mid-voyage and then bringing them to shore.
"The foreign vessels will ply the waters between Johor and Perak for such purposes until all the smuggled goods are brought to shore.
"Police have identified the syndicates involved and are gathering information before launching a joint operation with other enforcement agencies soon," he said in a special media conference at Bukit Aman here yesterday.
He said police took such crimes very seriously and hoped that the local communities would cooperate with the authorities to curb these illegal activities.
Meanwhile, he said PPM seized goods worth RM220.4 million in the first six months of this year, compared to RM55.7 million for the same period last year.
He said the 295 per cent increase was due to the frequent checks conducted by PPM on local and foreign vessels in the country's waters.
"In the first six months of this year alone, we inspected 38,694 local and foreign vessels compared to 26,908 vessels in the same period last year, an increase of 44 per cent.
"The total number of individuals checked also rose to 157,467 from 127,239 for the same period last year," he added.
Mohd Yusoff said one of the largest seizures involving the Customs Act 1967 was worth RM156.3 million, the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (RM18.8 million) and the Fisheries Act 1985 (RM13.44 million).
-- BERNAMA
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