Woman caught on smuggling boat near Tawau as skipper flees into sea
TAWAU: A local woman has been detained after being found on board a boat allegedly used to smuggle contraband goods and ferry undocumented migrants from Indonesia.
The 37-year-old was the sole occupant of the outboard engine-powered boat when it was intercepted near a makeshift landing area along Jalan Apas, some 5km from Tawau, on Tuesday.
The joint operation, led by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), also resulted in the seizure of the boat, the outboard engine, various goods, and a lorry parked nearby — believed to have been waiting to collect cargo from the Indonesian side of Pulau Sebatik, which borders Malaysia.
Esscom Commander Datuk Victor Sanjos said the skipper and another passenger managed to escape by jumping into the water as the raiding team approached.
"Checks on the goods — mostly food items — and the passenger, who is a Malaysian citizen, revealed that the cargo originated from across the border but was not accompanied by any documentation," he said.
"The seized items and the woman have been referred to the Customs Department for further investigation, including to determine whether she was complicit in the smuggling attempt alongside those who fled."
In a separate operation on Monday, Esscom detained three men during a raid at a petrol station along Jalan Apas. Items worth over RM300,000, including fuel and vehicles, were seized.
The suspects, aged between 31 and 37, were allegedly caught purchasing some 1,300 litres of diesel and transferring it into modified tanks and containers in three four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Victor said the suspects would be referred to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry for investigation under price control regulations.
He stressed that there would be no let-up in enforcement operations against smugglers and traffickers along the border, urging local communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Retired teacher, senior citizen lose RM352,000 to scams
JOHOR BARU: Police are investigating two commercial crime crises that cost a retired teacher and a senior citizen more than RM352,000 in total losses. Johor Baru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said the first case involved a 60-year-old retired teacher who lost RM243,975 in an investment scam advertised on social media. Lured by a promised 560 per cent return within three months, the victim joined a WhatsApp group and was instructed to download an application purportedly linked to the investment. Between April 28 and June 19, the victim made seven online and over-the-counter bank transfers totalling RM255,100 into two bank accounts. She received RM11,125 in returns, resulting in a net loss of nearly a quarter million ringgit. "Checks revealed 17 prior fraud reports linked to the bank accounts used," Raub said in a statement today. In the second case, a senior citizen lost RM108,959 after he received a phone call from a man claiming to be a bank officer. The caller claimed the victim's credit card had been misused on an e-commerce online platform and convinced him to perform several "verification" transactions, which included transferring RM8,989 from his wife's credit card to the suspect's TNG eWallet. He was also instructed to transfer RM99,970 via DuitNow from his bank account. Raub said the suspect became unreachable once the transactions were completed. Checks showed the phone number had been linked to two similar fraud cases. He urged the public to be wary of investment offers on digital platforms and not to trust promises of unrealistic returns. He also advised verifying suspicious calls through official bank channels and reporting scams immediately to the National Scam Response Centre at 997, which can help block suspect accounts and stop fund transfers.
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Labour Department uncovers violations in Kampong Tagap, Brunei
Labour enforcement officers during the inspection. - Photo: LED BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The Labour Enforcement Division under the Labour Department has uncovered several employment violations during Operasi Waspada 117/2025 conducted in Kampong Tagap on Monday (June 16). The operation was aimed at enforcing compliance with the Employment Order, Chapter 278, and ensuring employers uphold their responsibilities towards their workers. During inspections of workers' accommodation, authorities identified six violations under the Employment Order, including: Failure to provide weekly rest days (Section 63); Requiring employees to work on rest days (Section 64); Failure to grant paid annual leave (Section 71); And inadequate and unhygienic worker accommodations (Section 80). Additionally, two offences were recorded under Section 112(2) for breaching the conditions of the Foreign Worker Licence. Foreign workers employed under construction roles were found performing tasks outside their approved scope, such as tending to livestock including goats, chickens, and ducks. The activities were also not aligned with the company's licensed construction operations, which were instead being used for animal farming and distribution. Further investigations are underway. If found guilty, the employer may be fined up to BND1,000 per offence. Failure to pay compound fines may result in court proceedings. The Labour Department reminds all employers to remain vigilant in safeguarding workers' welfare in accordance with the Employment Order, including providing at least one rest day per week, paid annual leave, and clean accommodation. Employees must also only perform work aligned with their approved job titles, and businesses must strictly adhere to their licensed activities. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Rare Irrawaddy dolphin found dead in illegal ray net off Kuala Kedah
ALOR SETAR: A rare Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead, tragically entangled in an illegal ray fishing net known locally as 'pukat pari' that was left behind by fishermen in the waters off Kuala Kedah yesterday. Kuala Kedah Maritime Zone director commander Noor Azreyanti Ishak said the dolphin, an endangered marine mammal, was found by a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) patrol team at about 11 am, approximately 1.1 nautical miles from the Kuala Kedah estuary. 'The discovery was made following the seizure of a RM2,000 ray net, which is prohibited under the Fisheries Act 1985 due to its non-selective nature. The net not only traps stingrays and juvenile fish but also poses a serious threat to protected marine species,' she said in a statement today. Noor Azreyanti said the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), also known locally as 'empesut', is a unique species that is becoming increasingly rare in Southeast Asia, including in Malaysia. She added that the loss of even a single Irrawaddy dolphin has a major impact on the ecosystem, given its critically low population and elusive nature. Meanwhile, Noor Azreyanti said the latest seizure was the sixth involving ray nets in the Kuala Kedah maritime zone so far this year. 'The use of the nets not only affects the population of stingrays, which are benthic predators, but also disrupts the overall balance of the ecosystem if left unchecked,' she said. She also called on the public to report illegal fishing activities or suspicious activities at sea via the 999 emergency line or the Kuala Kedah maritime zone operations centre at 04-7310579.
