Malaysia: Marine cops foil mangrove bark smuggling

The Star 1 Jun 12;

KOTA KINABALU: A regular patrol along a river in Sabah’s east coast netted the police Marine Operations Force (MOF) a haul of about seven tonnes of illegally harvested tangar or mangrove tree bark.

State MOF chief Asst Comm Abdul Manaf Othman said their patrol vessel was carrying out surveillance around Sungai Tagahang, about 40km from Sandakan, when the personnel spotted a boat laden with the tree bark at about 4.15am on Wednesday.

Upon seeing the police, the individuals in the boat tried to speed off and when they realised they could not outrun the MOF vessel, they jumped into the sea and escaped.

He said MOF personnel, however, managed to detain a 45-year-old man on the boat who turned out to be a Filipino national.

ACP Manaf said the man’s arrest and seizure would be referred to the state Forestry Department as the offence came under the Forest Enactment 1968.

Authorities here are facing an uphill task to protect mangroves along Sabah’s east coast from tangar strippers, most of whom are from southern Philippines, where the bark is used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages.

Mangrove areas around Pulau Banggi as well as those in the Pitas and Beluran districts are the most susceptible to thieves.