THE Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency arrested 20 Vietnamese fishermen for encroaching on the country’s waters yesterday.

Mersing Maritime Zone director Maritime Commander Khairul Nizam Misran said two boats and fishing equipment estimated to be worth RM3 million were seized during an operation dubbed Op Khas Pagar Laut, about 7.9 nautical miles northeast of Pulau Pemanggil at 12.30am.

He said they also confiscated about 9,000kg of various types of catch and 11,500 litres of diesel.

“All of them, aged between 16 and 52, including boat skippers who failed to produce valid identification documents, were taken to the Malaysian maritime jetty at Teluk Gading Post for further investigations,” he said in a statement today.

Khairul said the case was being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 for trespassing and fishing in Malaysian waters without the approval of the Fisheries Department director-general and the Immigration Act 1959/63 for failing to produce valid identification documents.

He also urged anyone with information on criminal maritime activities to contact the Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 or the Johor Maritime Operations Centre at 07-219 9404. – Bernama, May 17, 2022.