LANGKAWI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has arrested a Thai fisherman for possession of a quantity of ketum leaves, ketum juice and cough mixture on a fishing boat about 2.3 nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Kemarong.
MMEA Kedah/Perlis director First Admiral (Maritime) Rozali Mohd Said said today the 51-year-old fisherman, who was the skipper of the Malaysian boat, was held at 1.30pm yesterday by MMEA personnel on patrol.
The MMEA squad found his identification documents in order and inspected the boat and stumbled upon 710 grams of ketum leaves in a fish crate, he said in a statement.
“Further examination led to the discovery of 10 plastic bottles, each containing 500ml of ketum juice, and four bottles, each containing 100ml of cough mixture,” he added.
Rozali said the fisherman, the boat and the seized material were brought to the Bukit Malut Maritime Malaysia jetty for subsequent action.
He also said that members of the public could report suspected criminal activities at sea to the MERS 999 line and the Kedah/Perlis (Langkawi) Maritime Operations Centre at 04-9662750. — Bernama
