The bombs were discovered last week by two aborigine villagers who reported seeing bomb-like objects in the waters. No details were given on the type of bombs found or their origin.

In a statement released yesterday, police chief Kamal Bakri Medan said the diving unit from the South District Marine Police followed up on the report and identified four areas where it believed bombs could be found.

On Sunday, the diving unit found three chain bombs in one of the areas and brought them back.

The next day, the unit, with the help of a navy diving unit and the diving unit from the Navy Diving and War Mines Centre in Lumut, Perak, went to comb the four areas.

Mr Kamal said that the diving units found another 16 bombs in the Sungai Melayu area, and 104 more at Tanjung Setajam. No bombs were found in the other two areas.

The operation ended on Monday and the bombs were detonated at Lapang Sasar Segamat by the Johor bomb squad.

BERNAMA