MMEA detains Vietnamese fishing boat, 15 crew members in Terengganu waters

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) intercepted a Vietnamese fishing vessel and detained 15 crew members, including the skipper, for encroaching into Malaysian waters, in an integrated operation at about 3 pm yesterday.

Terengganu MMEA director Maritime Captain Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said the boat was seized at 100 nautical miles northeast of Kuala Terengganu.

The crew members, aged between 20 and 50, did not possess valid identification documents and the seizures included the boat, 700 kilogrammes of marine catch , and 1,000 litres of diesel estimated to be worth RM1.5 million, he said in a statement today.

He said the crew members were taken to the state MMEA jetty for further investigations and the was being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 for trespassing and fishing in national waters without permission from the director-general of Fisheries Malaysia, as well as under the Immigration Act 1959/1963 for failing to submit valid identification documents.

He advised the public with information on criminal activity at sea to contact MMEA at 09-6223657 or through the MERS 999 emergency helpline.

-- BERNAMA