Syndicate uses ‘mother ship’ and disguised fishing boats to slip through dragnet

Like the real deal: Illegal Vietnamese fishing boats, like these detained off the coast of Sabah, are often made to look like local fishing vessels.

KOTA TINGGI: The syndicate behind the frequent encroachment into local waters by Vietnamese fishermen has managed to stay one step ahead of enforcement agencies, avoiding detection and arrest.

It is believed there are hundreds of fishing vessels illegally entering Malaysian waters from Tok Bali in Kelantan to Desaru in Johor.