MARINE police foiled a Pala’u man’s attempt in Pulau Sisipan near here to smuggle out petrol to Philippines last night.

Sabah Region 4 Marine Police commander ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali said the 28-year-old suspect was detained while transporting 10 barrels (300 litres) of petrol to be smuggled out.

“The suspect, who did not have any identification papers, showed a permit from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry for him to transport the petrol,” he said in a statement in Semporna today.

Pajeri said marine police surveillance found the suspect had bought the petrol in Semporna town before attempting to smuggle it to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, in Tawau on the same day at 7.30am, marine police held an Indonesian fisherman and seized 6,000 face masks which were being smuggled from Indonesia through Laut Batu 3.

He said the man, 38, was detained after his boat was checked and found to contain seven boxes of the masks.

He added that the suspect failed to produce permits to transport the Indonesian-made items. – Bernama, February 9, 2020.