MOF arrest 7 Filipinos, seize boat in Sabah curfew area

TAWAU - The Marine Operations Force (MOF) have detained a boat from the Philippines with seven men for breaking the curfew in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) yesterday.

The detained, aged between 33 and 52  include the captain of the boat.

Sabah MOF Commander ACP Mohammad Madon said the men were detained at about 7.07 pm in waters near Kampung Wakuba after they were found to be in a prohibited area when the MOF personnel carried out an operation codenamed 'Op Paradise'.

“The boat had left the Tawau port to return to its country of origin (the Philippines)," he said in a statement here today.

He said further inspections of the boat’s captain found that he could not produce a police permit allowing him to be in a curfew area at the time of his detention.

The boat and the Filipinos were detained for investigation under Section 31 (2) 1967 for breaking the curfew.

The curfew in the ESSZone involves a distance of three nautical miles from the coasts of Tawau. Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Sandakan and Beluran and effective until April 17 starting from 7pm until 5am. - Bernama