Crew of Chinese-registered vessel detained for illegal encroachment

The vessel was intercepted by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) about eight nautical miles off Tanjung Keling on Tuesday evening.

MALACCA: Seven crewmembers of a Chinese-registered dredging vessel were detained off the coast here for illegal encroachment.

The vessel was intercepted by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) about eight nautical miles off Tanjung Keling on Tuesday evening.

MMEA’s Kuala Linggi enforcement chief Maritime Officer Mazlan Mat Rejab said the vessel’s crew had failed to produce their domestic shipping licence (DSL) and permit to carry out dredging in Malaysian waters.

He said the detained crewmembers and helmsman are aged between 34 to 60 years.

Mazlan said the helmsman also failed to produce valid documents from Malaysian authorities granting the vessel permission to extract marine sand from here.

He said that the vessel is docked at the jetty here while prosecutors from the agency are investigate the case under the Continental Shelf Act 1966 (amended) 2009.

Mazlan said MMEA would continue to patrol and check illegal dredging work along the coast here.