ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has foiled an attempt to smuggle about 1.2 tonnes of ketum leaves worth more than RM200,000 out of the country.

       Kuala Kedah MMEA director Commander Noor Azreyanti Ishak said the seizure was made 0.9 nautical miles northeast of the Kuala Kedah estuary at about 6am on Thursday (Feb 10).

       “Based on information gathered, we detected a boat near the Kuala Kedah estuary.

       “Once we received the information, a MMEA boat was dispatched to the location,” she said in a statement.

       She said a suspect, who saw that authorities were approaching, changed course and fled towards nearby land, adding that he escaped by jumping into a mangrove swamp.

       She said an inspection of the boat revealed 120 black packages believed to contain ketum leaves weighing about 1.2 tonnes worth an estimated RM216,000.

       She said it is believed that the ketum leaves were being smuggled to a neighbouring country, where the market price is about RM180 per kg compared to RM30 locally.

       She said the seized ketum leaves and the boat were taken to the jetty in Kuala Kedah and handed over to the investigation officer for further investigation.

       The case has been classified under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952.