Malaysia detains 3 Filipinos on smuggling charges

TAWI-TAWI, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 30, 2009) – Malaysian authorities arrested six people, three of them Filipinos, in separate anti-smuggling operations off Sabah near the southern Philippines, reports said.

Reports said Marine police intercepted a motor boat called “jongkong” off Sahabat 16 and seized 1,000 liters of petrol and hundreds of packets of cooking oil. Three people were arrested in the operation conducted on Friday.

The Malaysia’s Star Online reported that the boat had come from Sabah’s eastern coast of Lahad Datu. It said the boat was heading to the southern Philippines when police intercepted the vessel.

Assistant Superintendent Rudin Banin, Lahad Datu marine police operations commander, said those arrested were between the ages of 20 and 40.

He did not say if those detained were Filipinos or not. But in another operation, three Filipinos were also arrested for allegedly smuggling some 6,000 packs of Philippine-made fireworks worth about RM 18,000 into Sabah.

The names of the Filipinos were not made public, but reports said they were between 24 and 44 years old.

Sabah is home to many illegal Filipino workers and migrants. (Mindanao Examiner)