An unidentified body was found wrapped in plastic and stuffed into a polystyrene box at Pasir Tenggara beach in Pulau Tenggol, here, Tuesday.

The highly decomposed body was found by a tour boat operator who was resting with three friends after returning from a snorkeling trip at about 9.15am.

Dungun district police chief, Supt Ahmad Zailani Yaacub said when the boat operator and his friends went near the box, they detected a foul smell and decided to check it.

"Upon opening the box, they saw an object covered in clear plastic, and when they unwrapped it, they found a decomposed human body.

"Shocked at their discovery, they contacted the police to inform about it and we rushed several personnel to the island," he said when contacted.

He added that there was no identification document found on the body and the case was being investigated.