MMEA seizes boats with items worth RM2.4 mil

The authorities also confiscated 4.5 tonnes of marine products, 10,000 litres of diesel and fishing equipment

Terengganu State Maritime director Maritime Capt Rahim Ramli (second from right) and other officers showing the items seized from two Vietnamese fishing boats which encroached into Malaysian waters. (Bernama pic)

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Terengganu seized two Vietnamese fishing boats with 21 crew members and two skippers that encroached into Malaysian waters last Saturday.

Terengganu State Maritime director Maritime Capt Rahim Ramli said the first boat was seized at 7.40pm while the second was seized at 8.30pm between 33 and 39 nautical miles from the Kuala Terengganu estuary.

The authorities also confiscated 4.5 tonnes of marine products, 10,000 litres of diesel and fishing equipment estimated at RM2.4 million.

All those detained had no identification documents or legal work permits, he said.

The two boats were seized in the waters near the oil platforms where the MMEA frequently carried out its enforcement operations, namely Ops Perkasa Timur and Ops Marikh.

Rahim said that the waters off Terengganu have an abundance of high quality marine life, including fish and grade A squid, especially around the oil platforms.

“This is a factor that attracts foreign fishermen who continue poaching and trespassing into Terengganu waters because they are sure of a good catch.

It is for this reason our personnel frequently patrol the area with our two ships and five boats,” he said at the Terengganu Maritime Department here today.

“We have successfully carried out 40 arrests so far with a total seizure of RM50.5 million from January till yesterday.

“We will continue to improve our patrolling and enforcement to ensure our waters are not encroached upon,” said Rahim. -FMT