KUALA TERENGGANU: Four Vietnamese fishermen have been detained and a vessel seized for encroaching into the country’s waters.
State Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Maritime Captain Mohd Khairulanuar Abd Majid said the boat was seized some 133 nautical miles off Kuala Terengganu at 12.30pm on Wednesday.
Also seized were 3.5 tonnes of marine catch, 2,000 litres of diesel, and fishing equipment. The estimated value of the seized items is RM1.5mil.
“Our patrol team was carrying out Op Naga Barat and spotted a suspicious boat engaged in fishing activities.
“Preliminary inspection found that all the foreign fishermen, including the skipper, aged between 29 and 61, did not have any valid identification documents,” he said in a statement yesterday, reported Bernama.
