The empty barrels seized from the pump boat.
SEMPORNA: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) intercepted a pump boat from the southern Philippines that tried to enter Malaysian waters through the northern Pom Pom Island route, yesterday.
ESSCom director general Datuk Mohammad Mentek said the special action unit and Marine Police Force under ESSCom also detained four men, aged between 27 and 45 years old, who boarded the boat in a special operation about 4am yesterday.
“Based on information, the four men are fisherman from Sitangkai Island (Philippines) and they are on their way to Kampung Batu near Kampung Simunul, Semporna.
“They were believed involved in smuggling subsidized items that were bought in Semporna town to be sold in Sitangkai (Southern Philippines),” he said, adding that the boat was loaded with empty barrels.
Mohammad added they also seized 45,000 pesos (about RM4,000) cash from the four men.