GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized two local fishing boats with 10 foreign crew members, all of whom were without valid travel and identification documents yesterday.
Penang MMEA director Maritime Capt Abd Razak Mohamed said the boats were detained about 32 nautical miles North West of Pulau Kendi, near here at about 11.30 am.
“Our patrol team spotted the Class C boats moving in a suspicious manner.
“Inspections found that the boats, which are based in Bagan Hutan Melintang, Perak, were operated by 10 crewmembers and that all of them, aged 20 to 41, did not have any identification documents,” he said in a statement here today.
Abd Razak said the team also seized fishing equipment and 1,000 kilogrammes of fish for further action.
He added that all 10 foreign fishermen were detained for further investigation under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Fisheries Act 1985. -Bernama