The Marine Police Force (PPM) Region Three has seized 50 cartons of liquor and 976,800 sticks of smuggled white cigarettes worth an estimated RM1.9 million in two separate operations carried out this week.
The seizures were made during Op Taring Gelora and Op Taring Landai at separate locations on Thursday midnight and Friday.
Region Three Marine Police commander Asst Comm Mohd Khairuddin Jamal said the first raid was conducted at Tok Bali, Pasir Puteh, where officers intercepted a local Class C2 fishing vessel believed to be operating with an expired licence and not engaged in fishing activities.
The operation, carried out at about 12.30am by a marine patrol team, led to the discovery of 50 cartons containing 396 litres of prohibited liquor.
The seized liquor, including unpaid duties, is estimated to be worth RM1.5 million.
A man in his 40s, believed to be an undocumented migrant, was also arrested after claiming to be the caretaker of the vessel.
In a separate operation, the Marine Intelligence Unit detected a lorry and a car behaving suspiciously in Salor, Pasir Mas, before pursuing both vehicles for approximately 16 kilometres to Ketereh.
The suspects abandoned the vehicles and fled after both crashed onto the road shoulder, managing to escape arrest.
A search of the vehicles uncovered 976,800 sticks of smuggled white cigarettes believed to have been illegally brought into the country.
Both cases are being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.
