PASIR PUTIH: The Malaysian Maritime Agency (MMEA) seized two fishing vessels with 23 crew members for encroaching into Malaysian waters at 70 nautical miles off Pantai Sabak near Kota Baru yesterday.
MMEA KM Pekan commanding officer Captain Robert Teh Geok Chuan said the agency also seized various catches from the two vessels in the 7am operation. The boats and the catches are worth about RM2.5 million.
"A MMEA patrol boat was conducting its routine check along the area when it spotted two foreign vessels carrying out illegal fishing activities in the vicinity.
"They later detained the vessels and its crew members including two skippers," he said at MMEA base in Tok Bali here today.
He said the crew members, from Vietnam, were aged between 16 and 64, and did not possess valid travel documents or valid work permits.