KLANG: The crime rate in the country’s waters showed an encouraging downward trend as a result of continuous operations and international collaborations being carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
MMEA acting deputy director-general Maritime First Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said this could be seen through the drop in detention cases involving migrant smuggling of late.
He said cases under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) recorded an encouraging reduction from 13 cases in 2022 to four last year.
“Throughout this year, the MMEA foiled 64 cases involving illegal immigrants, with 249 individuals detained,” he told a media conference after officiating the closing of the Redback Operation 19/2024 between the MMEA and Australian Border Force (ABF) here today.
Also present were Australian High Commission ABF Counsellor Superintendent Brooke Leung and Selangor MMEA director Maritime Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh.
Mohd Zawawi said a total of 60 inspections were carried out on all types of ships in the country’s waters, and one detention was made under the Fisheries Act 1985, which prohibits fishing in inshore waters up to five nautical miles from the coast.
He said the operation also involved dialogue sessions with the maritime community at two locations, namely Kampung Kelanang and Kompleks Agrotourism Persatuan Nelayan Kawasan (PNK) in Sepang, Selangor.
“Through this dialogue sessions, we can strengthen cooperation with the maritime community, thus making it easier for the MMEA to obtain the latest information, particularly those related to cross-border crimes,” he said.
The operation was a result of the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the governments of Malaysia and Australia in 2011, which also involved intelligence and information sharing regarding criminal tactics and modus operandi in the waters between both countries.
Op Redback 19, implemented since Monday (Dec 2), involves the enforcement of up to 118 nautical miles in Selangor waters from Sabak Bernam to Kuala Sepang.
Mohd Zawawi also said the the MMEA is ready to conduct operations to curb the smuggling of vape or electronic cigarettes following the government’s move to tighten the sale of the product.
“With tighter law enforcement, vape cannot be sold openly and freely. We do not rule out the possibility that vape will be smuggled in via sea routes… the MMEA is ready to deal with this,” he said.
