Five Vietnamese detained for illegal fishing
KOTA KINABALU: Five Vietnamese fishermen were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for encroaching into Sabah water for illegal fishing.
MMEA First Admiral Mohd Rosli Abdullah said the arrests were made after MMEA personnel spotted a suspicious vessel at 17.1 nautical miles off Pulau Mantanini around 9 am on April 14.
Mohd Rosli said the arrests were made following ongoing Ops Naga Timur and Ops Kudat Laut in combating intrusion and illegal fishing by foreigners in the country.
The suspects, consisting of the captain and four crewmen, aged 17 to 40, were detained and taken to the MMEA jetty in Sepanggar for further action.
The case is being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.