THE Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained two Vietnamese Class C2 trawler boats bearing local registration numbers in the waters off Kemaman last Thursday.

Kemaman MMEA chief, Lt Commander (Maritime) Mohamad Rezal Kamal Bashah said the boats, with registration numbers PAF 4385 and KARANG 3, were detained between 7am and 8.40am while trawling at approximately 94 and 95 nautical miles off Kuala Kemaman, respectively.

Checks revealed that the registration number on the first boat did not match that on the boat licence and was suspected to have been cloned, while the KARANG 3 trawler was found to be using an expired boat licence, he told reporters at the Kemaman MMEA Base here yesterday.

According to Mohamad Rezal, 19 crew members of the boats, including its skippers, aged between 18 and 48, neither have valid identification documents nor foreign crew permits.

Further inspection revealed that the trawlers were laden with about two tonnes of sea catch, three tonnes of fish fertiliser and 20,000 litres of diesel with an estimated value of RM2 million.

Mohamad Rezal said the case was being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985, Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952. – Bernama, June 2, 2018.