PONTIAN: A foreign cargo ship travelling frequently between Perak and Batam, Indonesia, in the last one month raised the suspicion of marine police, leading to the seizure of illicit cigarettes worth RM52mil.
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Comm Datuk Seri Abd Rahim Jaafar said that the Mongolian-registered vessel was coming from Myanmar and heading towards Batam.
He added that marine police stopped the vessel at 2.9 nautical miles south-west of Pulau Kukup at about 8.15pm on Monday night after noticing it travelling back and forth very frequently in the last 30 days.
He said marine police had been monitoring the vessel following information that an illicit cigarette smuggling syndicate has been receiving the contraband items within Johor’s west coast area.
With the movement control order being extended to Feb 18, Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador (
pic) said the time for warnings or advice for SOP flouters is over.
“Stricter enforcement is the way forward as we are very serious in our effort to stop the spread of the virus.
“We hope the public will comply as our ultimate goal is to break the chain of infection.
“So far, we have issued thousands of compounds for various offences, including for those who did not adhere to interstate travel restrictions. We are determined to enforce that order, ” he said when contacted.
Bukit Aman senior police officers with the rank of Senior Asst Comm (SAC) and above have been instructed to surveil the situation on the ground, added the IGP.
Doing it right: Police checking on public compliance with the SOP in Johor Baru. THOMAS YONG/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: While most Malaysians complied with the first movement control order last March, this time around people have adopted a carefree approach that has not helped reduce the number of Covid-19 cases.
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Comm Datuk Seri Abd Rahim Jaafar said the police were concerned over the huge increase in the number of compounds issued to people who violated Covid-19 standard operating procedures in just the first three weeks of this year.
He said a total of 13,449 compounds were issued for various offences during the MCO as at Jan 27.
Bukit Aman completing investigation paper over smuggling of imported meat thestar.com.my - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestar.com.my Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.