SANDAKAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a boat suspected of carrying crude palm oil without valid authorisation during an enforcement operation in Sandakan waters on Tuesday.
Sandakan Maritime director Maritime Capt Muhamad Suhairy Hussain said the boat was intercepted by an MMEA patrol vessel conducting Op Sejahtera, Op Pluto Timur, Op Cegah Pati and Op Tiris about 0.8 nautical miles southeast of Kampung Gas after it was seen moving suspiciously.
He said the boat was operated by a 38-year-old local man and a 42-year-old foreign national.
Both individuals failed to produce documents related to the ownership and transportation of crude palm oil during inspection.
“Checks found the boat carrying about seven tonnes of crude palm oil suspected to be without a permit or valid authorisation from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB),” he said in a statement on Wednesday. The case is being investigated under the Malaysian Palm Oil Board Act 1998 (Act 582) for failure to display a Domestic Movement Declaration (MPOB).
