JOHOR BAHRU: There has been an increase in attempts by smuggling syndicates to encroach into the country's territorial waters since April, said Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Admiral Maritime Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som.

He said that such activities were detected between 8 pm and 4 am daily.

"After the reopening of the country's economy, we detect an increase in attempts to encroach into the country's borders every night, yet the majority of them were foiled.

"Through the enforcement carried out, the majority of these attempts were either stopped or they turned back after the boat they boarded detected by the authorities," he told a press conference after the handover ceremony of three units of Rigid Hull Fender Boats (RHFB) at the Stulang Laut International Ferry terminal, here today.

He said such criminal activities were expected due to the supply and demand in the local market involving the shortage of manpower in certain sectors including plantations and services.


"The main target of this smuggling syndicate are the states in the southern part of the country, namely Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan due to the narrow sea passage. However, we detected an attempt to smuggle in through a northern state Penang recently," he said.

Mohd Zubil said from January to June 10, MMEA had cracked down on various cross-border criminal activities with seizures worth more than RM55.8 million.

He said a total of 442 arrests, among others, involving encroachment of foreign fishing boats, smuggling of immigrants and contraband as well as ships anchored without permission were made through 76,026 inspections carried out during the period.

Commenting on strengthening enforcement and rescue operations in the country's waters, he said the MMEA had received a total of 27 RHFB units and would receive the remaining three units by August through procurement worth RM46.5 million.

"RHFB will act as an interceptor after the Malaysian Maritime Surveillance System (Swasla) detects the movement of boats believed to be involved in smuggling activities.

"When the Swasla system detects the movement of such boats, RHFB units will be mobilised to the location to safeguard the country's sovereignty, law and order," he said.

-- BERNAMA