ALOR SETAR, The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Kuala Kedah Maritime Zone seized 40 kilogrammes of ketum leaves at 1.7 nautical miles east of Kuala Kedah yesterday. Its director Cmdr (Maritime) Noor Azreyanti Ishak said the seizure that occurred at 11.30 pm was based on intelligence gathering on a local syndicate smuggling ketum leaves out to a neighbouring country. "An MMEA patrol boat was mobilised to locate and conduct the raid. The boat found several bags at a private jetty during the patrol and we believe that smugglers were just waiting for a suitable time to retrieve the packs to smuggle them out,' she said in a statement here today. Further checks at the location revealed that the packs contained an estimated 400 kg of ketum leaves worth about RM4,000, she said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952. Source: BERNAMA News Agency