PONTIAN: The state Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) thwarted an attempt to smuggle out 20kg of syabu disguised as Chinese tea off Parit Raja here early this morning.
An MMEA vessel on a routine crime prevention patrol in the waters here spotted three men on a wooden boat acting suspiciously at 12.30am.
When approached, the three men attempted to manoeuvre the boat towards a nearby mangrove.
State MMEA acting director Captain Kama Azri Kamil said the men abandoned the boat and fled into the mangrove on foot.
Upon inspection, MMEA enforcement officers found a dark blue bag containing 20 packets of Chinese tea, suspected to be methamphetamine, commonly known as syabu.
Kama said the drugs, worth about RM700,000, were suspected to be intended for smuggling out of the country.
The case is investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952