Sand-laden ship held after skipper fails to furnish documents
KUCHING: A routine patrol by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) led to a ship being detained after it was found to be transporting sand without valid documents.
MMEA Sarawak director First Admiral Robert Teh said the incident happened around 9.30pm, some six nautical miles northeast of Muara Tebas on Sunday.
“A MMEA asset was patrolling the waters near Kuching when it conducted a routine check of the ship.
“During the inspection, the skipper failed to produce port clearance to transport the sand, which was worth RM25,000,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He added the skipper and three crew members were brought to the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex in Muara Tebas for further investigation under Section 37(1) of the Customs Act 1967.
Meanwhile, Teh said members of the public who have information on smuggling activities can contact MMEA Sarawak on 082432544.