KUDAT: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained five Vietnamese nationals suspected of illegal fishing in the waters off Pulau Malawali early Monday.
The seizure, including the vessel and equipment, was valued at more than RM2 million. Kudat Maritime Zone Director Hasbullah Omar said their vessel was detected at 4am 1.22 nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Bukit, Pulau Malawali, following a public tip.
The patrol boat Cenderawasih 10 was immediately deployed to the location.
However, when authorities attempted to approach, the suspects cut their towing rope, leaving it trailing behind their vessel and installed iron barriers on both sides of the boat while refusing to cooperate with orders to stop.
“The suspects attempted to ram our patrol boat when we tried to get closer, but their plan failed after a 15-minute chase ended when our officers successfully boarded their vessel,” Hasbullah said.
Upon inspection, the vessel was found to be equipped with specialised iron equipment designed for sea cucumber harvesting.
Some 40kg of sea cucumbers and 300 litres of diesel fuel were found on board.
The Vietnamese nationals, aged between 28 and 39 years, were arrested for lacking valid identification documents.
The suspects, vessel and marine catch were brought to the jetty for further investigation under the Fisheries Act 1985 and Immigration Act 1956/63.
In SANDAKAN, the MMEA thwarted an attempt to smuggle diesel, petrol and gas worth RM830,000 to a neighbouring country by detaining a pump boat 0.8 nautical miles off Tanjung Aru, on Monday.
Sandakan Maritime Zone Director Maritime Captain Muhamad Suhairy Hussain said the boat, operated by a male skipper with seven male crew members, was detained at 1.05am after the boat’s navigation was detected as suspicious and heading towards the waters of a neighbouring country.
“The boat was found to be carrying 250 blue barrels containing 50,000 litres of petrol, 15 barrels containing 3,000 litres of diesel and 120 branded cylinders of gas. The skipper and crew of the boat, aged between 27 and 50, failed to produce valid travel documents.
“They also failed to produce valid declaration documents to carry the controlled goods. In addition, the police also arrested four men and two women, aged between 16 and 41, from neighbouring countries who were passengers on the boat,” he said in a statement.
Muhamad Suhairy said the case was being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1962, the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.
“This arrest is part of the MMEA’s ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and maintain the security of the country’s waters,” he added.
