KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a fishing vessel and arrested three foreign fishermen from Vietnam on suspicion of trespassing into the country’s waters at a position about 94 nautical miles from the Tok Bali estuary on Sunday.
Its director Maritime Captain Erwan Shah Soahdi said the arrest was made by a Malaysian Maritime enforcement vessel that was conducting patrols at the Malaysia-Vietnam border under Op Damai, Op Naga Barat and Op Tiris at 4.49pm.
“All the foreigners, suspected to be aged between 37 and 41, initially did not cooperate and tried to flee to the country’s territorial waters when the Malaysian Maritime enforcers gave instructions to stop the vessel.
“Further inspection of the vessel found about 5,000 kilograms of fish, navigation and communication equipment as well as a supply of 600 litres of diesel with an estimated value of nearly RM1 million,“ he said in a statement today.
He said the process of bringing back the vessel took 23 hours before arriving at the MMEA jetty at about 3.55pm the next day, before being handed over to the investigating officer.
The case will be investigated under Section 15 (1)(a) of the Fisheries Act 1985, Section 16(3) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
