MMEA detains two boats, 24 Vietnamese fishermen in three-day operation
PEKAN: Eastern Region Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency ( MMEA) detained 24 Vietnamese fishermen onboard two fishing boats during a threeday integrated operation which ended yesterday.
Its deputy director (Operation) Capt V Pannir Selvan said in the operation carried out in the waters off Kuala Pahang, Nenasi and Pulau Tioman, a foreign fishing boat was detained about 83 nautical miles from Kuala Pahang at about 11am on Thursday.
“While the boat was being inspected, a crew member tried to offer a RM20,000 bribe to the enforcement officers but the fishermen were arrested and various seafood products, fishing equipment and boat worth about RM300,000 were seized,” he told reporters at the Kuala Pahang Jetty here, yesterday.
He said at 11pm on the same day a local fishing boat deployed by some Vietnamese citizens to fi sh illegally in national waters, was detained about three miles from Tanjung Gemok.
Over 200 personnel were involved in the integrated operation which was participated by the Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysia Police, the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC), the Fisheries Department of Malaysia, the Marine Department of Malaysia and the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia.
“All arrested will be charged for offences under the Fisheries Act, Immigration Act and the MACC Act,” he said adding that since early January to date, 1,433 boats were inspected off Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu and 50 of the boats were operated by Vietnamese nationals. — Bernama