The Marine Police (POLMAR), Operations Department, Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF), successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle contraband goods via the country’s waters on January 31.
On the night of the incident, a POLMAR patrol boat detected a suspicious boat moving at high speed without lights towards a village area. Acting on suspicion, POLMAR immediately pursued and tracked the boat.
Upon realising the presence of law enforcement, the suspect attempted to flee by navigating into the stilt house area of Kampong Ayer. Before escaping, the suspect managed to discard the cargo into the mangrove area.
Following the incident, a joint operation with the Royal Customs and Excise Department (RCED) was launched to track down the suspect’s boat and the discarded boxes.
A search at the scene led to the discovery of several abandoned boxes. Further investigation revealed that the boxes contained prohibited goods, specifically 1,000 cartons of various types of cigarettes. All contraband was handed over to RCED for further action.
Marine Police will continue to intensify patrols and operations to curb any criminal activities using the country’s waters. The public is also urged to cooperate by reporting any suspicious activities to ensure the safety and security of Brunei Darussalam’s waters remain safeguarded. – James Kon
