TAWAU: An attempt to smuggle more than 1,600kg of cooking oil to a neighbouring country was foiled by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

MMEA Sabah and FT Labuan enforcement chief First Admiral (Maritime) Ahmad Fuzi Ab Kahar said the cooking oil in 1kg packets labelled "Rusa Terbang" were seized from a boat at 8pm.

Five men were detained after a chase.

Although the boat's crew had switched off all lights onboard, the sophisticated equipment on the MMEA vessel had detected the boat in the darkness. -- Bernama