The eight illegals believed to be Indonesians that were arrested by Tawau MMEA at Pulau Sebatik waters on Thursday evening.
KOTA KINABALU: The Tawau Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained eight illegal immigrants while they were collecting seaweed at Pulau Sebatik waters.
Tawau MMEA director Maritime Capt Shahrizan Raman said they were onboard two boats with four crew members on each vessel.
They are aged between 18 and 41, and believed to be Indonesians.
The arrests were made on Thursday (July 27) during a patrol under Ops Pluto Timur 2/13, Ops Sejahtera 1/22 and Ops Tiris, he said in a statement here on Friday (July 28).
“When making their rounds, the patrol team traced two canoe-type boats that were carrying out seaweed harvesting at their sector of operation.
“All eight detained did not possess valid travel documents and were brought to the Tawau maritime jetty for further investigations for offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
“Both vessels and their engines as well as personal items on board were confiscated, with the total amount estimated to be over RM50,000,” said Shahrizan.
He urged the public, especially the coastal community, to assist the agency by channelling information of any crimes being carried out in Tawau waters to the Tawau maritime operations centre at 089-752 116 or through MERS 999.
