LABUAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a trawler with nine crew members after it was caught carrying out illegal ship-to-ship transfer of water in Labuan waters yesterday.
Labuan MMEA director Maritime Captain Nudin Jusoh said its personnel spotted the trawler drawing close to a water tanker while doing patrol at 1 pm about 0.3 nautical mile off Labuan.
“Due to the suspicious nature of the activity, we conducted a search and found the trawler performing the ship-to-ship transfer of water without permission from the Malaysian Marine Department director,” he said in a statement to Bernama today.
The skipper from India and eight crew members - two Malaysians and six Indonesians - were arrested, he added.
The case is being investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952, which provides for a compound of RM50,000 or fine of RM100,000 on conviction. - Bernama