MMEA busts RM500,000 vape smuggling attempt in Kedah

KANGAR, March 8 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) early yesterday morning seized nearly 16,500 e-cigarettes and vape liquids worth an estimated RM500,000 in a raid at Kuala Sungai, near here. Kedah MMEA director, First Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah, said the seizure was made by the agency’s patrol boat, the KM Langkawi, at about 1.30am. He said the patrol boat had spotted a suspicious boat and ordered it to stop, but the boat sped off towards the coast. “The patrol boat gave chase and managed to intercept the suspicious boat about 0.5 nautical miles from the coast. “Upon inspection, the patrol team found 16,499 units of e-cigarettes and vape liquids of various brands and flavours, believed to be smuggled into the country,” he said in a statement here today. He said the boat and its contents, estimated to be worth RM500,000, were brought to the Kuala Kedah Maritime Zone for further investigation. “No arrests were made as the suspects managed to escape into the bushes,” he said.