MMEA foils attempt to smuggle ganja worth RM1.5 million

KUALA PERLIS: The Kuala Perlis Maritime Zone (KPMZ) Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) thwarted an attempt to smuggle 300 kilogrammes (kg) of compressed ganja, worth an estimated RM1.5 million in a special operation in Kuala Perlis waters on Dec 25.

Kedah and Perlis MMEA deputy operations director Maritime Captain Zulinda Ramly said in the raid at 3 am on Friday, an unregistered fibreglass boat was detained around 0.4 nautical miles (about 600 metres from the coast) west of Sungai Padang beach near here.

“Inspections conducted on the boat found 11 sacks containing box-shaped compressed lumps wrapped neatly in white plastic suspected to be compressed ganja, brought in from a neighbouring country.

“The boat and the drug seizure worth RM1.53 million were brought to the MMEA jetty and the case is being investigated under Section 39 (B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” she said in a press conference here yesterday.

Zulinda said even though no arrests were made during the operations but the suspect believed to be a man from southern Thailand had managed to escape.

She added the skipper (suspect) had changed the direction of the boat after realising the presence of the authorities before jumping into the sea and swimming towards the nearby mangrove swamp forest.

“We believe the smuggled ganja was for the market around the north of Peninsular Malaysia,” she said.

Zulinda said this is the second-largest seizure after the first one on Nov 15 this year, with the total amount of drugs and ketum seized to date worth RM31 million.

She said this was the result of intelligence and surveillance carried out for several weeks in efforts to cripple drug smuggling syndicates in the country’s waters.

-- BERNAMA