Suspects (squatting, middle) arrested while carrying out the illegal activity.
SANDAKAN: Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) in collaboration with Marine Police and Special Branch Sandakan foiled an attempt to transfer 39,600 litres of crude palm oil illegally from a tanker at Mile 20, Jalan Labuk here on Thursday.
ESSCom Commander DCP Dato’ Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said the incident happened at about 11.30 am. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by DSP Wan Badrul Hisham raided a cargo truck and a tanker while four men, aged 27 to 33, were transferring crude palm oil from a tanker to a cargo truck using a hose in the area.
“Further examination found no letter from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board authorising them to transfer the oil. All four suspects have been detained and will be investigated under the Malaysian Palm Oil Board Act 1998. We also seized the tanker and cargo truck, one pump engine and four ABC tanks used in the activities, estimated to be worth about RM320,000,” he added.
The suspects and the seizures were taken to Sandakan Marine Police Operations Headquarters for further action.