LABUAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Labuan seized 140 smuggled crates of alcoholic beverages valued at RM10,000 and a van carrying the goods near Lawas waters in Sarawak last night.

MMEA Labuan director Commander Nor Bakari Abu Bakar said today the goods, believed to have been smuggled out of duty-free Labuan, and the van were seized at about 11.30pm during an operation dubbed ‘Op Benteng’.

“We received information from a member of the public on the smuggling taking place near a river in Lawas,” he said, adding that the MMEA personnel spotted a van with the alcoholic drinks parked by the river but there was no driver or anybody else there.

“We seized the alcoholic drinks and the Toyota Lite Ace van for further investigation,“ he said. — Bernama