KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained two Vietnamese fishing boats, with 20 crew members, who intruded into the state’s waters on Sunday.
Its director, Maritime Captain Hamiludin Che Awang said that both vessels were detained in Op Op Naga at 156 nautical miles off the Kuala Terengganu estuary.
He said his team took three hours to intercept both boats, which tried to escape after noticing the presence of the agency’s vessel KM Redang.
“When an inspection was done, all suspects failed to produce their identification documents as well as fishing permits from the Malaysian Fisheries Department.
“The seized items included two boats, seafood, fishing equipment and diesel, with an estimated worth of RM3 million,“ he said in a statement today.
Hamiludin said that all the fishermen, aged between 22 and 50 years, will be investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 and Immigration Act 1959/63.
If found guilty, the skipper can be fined not more than RM1 million, with RM100,000 each for a crew member or imprisonment not exceeding two years.
