Pulau Tengorak A Smuggling Hotspot - Kelantan MMEA

KOTA BHARU, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has identified the area around Pulau Tengkorak, near Pengkalan Kubor, Tumpat as a hotspot for cross-border crime, especially for smuggling cigarettes and illegal immigrants into the country.

Kelantan MMEA director, Capt (M) Erwan Shah Soahdi said the area has five kilometres of shoreline stretching till Pantai Geting and borders the town of Takbai in Thailand, adding that its location facing the South China Sea and close proximity to the neighbouring country allowed smugglers to easily land goods and bring in immigrants.

“This area also has casuarina tree coverage and a lot of smuggling routes that syndicates use to come and go, especially at night.

“The Malaysia-Thailand border is just about 500 metres (m) at the mouth of Kuala Takbai allows smugglers to use small boats and escape easily if detected by the authorities,” he told Bernama today.

Kelantan’s shoreline of over 70 kilometres makes it a prime choice for smugglers as it borders Thailand’s waters while Pantai Geting is a frequent landing site due to its wide area, making them hard to be discovered.

“Even with frequent patrols, the area still remains a (popular) choice. Last June, eight Myanmar nationals were apprehended in the location. Until September this year, five smuggling cases involving undocumented immigrants as well as cigarettes were recorded,” he added.

-- BERNAMA