THE Terengganu branch of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized a Vietnamese fishing boat as well as fishing equipment and fish worth a total of RM1.5 million.

Terengganu MMEA director Maritime Captain Khairulanuar Abd Majid said the vessel was detained for illegal fishing around 215km off the Kuala Terengganu estuary in an operation at 1.20pm on Tuesday.

He said 20 people – comprising fishermen and crew, aged between 18 and 49 – were nabbed as they did not possess valid identification documents.

“The skipper failed to show a licence to fish in Malaysian waters,” he said in a statement today. – Bernama, June 1, 2023.