Duo detained over fish bombing activity
SEMPORNA: Marine Police Force detained two men and seized 70kg of bombed fish from a pump-boat at the waters of Kampung Terusan, Bum Bum Island on Tuesday.
Semporna Marine Police Operations Headquarters commanding officer, DSP Mohammad Ismail said at about 4.30 pm, marine personnel acting on information from the public went to the sea area of Kg Terusan.
Arriving at the location, he said a pump-boat was seen with two adult men in a suspicious manner. The pump-boat was detained and the results of the inspection on the boat found about 70kg of fish of various types.
As a result of a brief interrogation conducted on the skipper, it was found that the fish was caught using explosives. The suspect and the illegally caught fish were taken to the Semporna Marine Police Force Base for an offense under Section 26(1)(c) of the Fisheries Act 1985, for catching fish using explosives.
He said the two Sea Bajau men, each in their 30s, from Kampung Halo Semporna were detained along with seizures of two pump engine units, 70kg of various types of fish, two reels of hose, one compressor unit, one jerrycan, a set of leg-fins, two propeller shaft units and a blue pump-boat. The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM8,170. Arrests and seizures were handed over to the Semporna Fisheries Department for further investigation.
He urged the maritime community to report any illegal activities directly to the 24-hour line or using the WhatsApp application to the Sabah PPM Communication Centre at 013-283 1197.