MIRI: A high-sea chase about 45 nautical miles off Miri in northern Sarawak saw the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) netting 15 tonnes of illegal fishing harvest worth RM500,000.
It was seized from two fishing vessels offshore here on Tuesday (Oct 16) afternoon.
Thirty-nine Vietnamese crewmen aged in their 20s to 50s were arrested, said MMEA Miri head Mohd Fauzi Othman on Thursday (Oct 18).
Fauzi said the MMEA patrol team had spotted the two vessels fishing and one of them tried to speed off.
The MMEA team gave chase and after one hour, cornered the vessel.
Checks showed they had no proper licence to fish here, he said.
The two vessels had been seized and towed to Miri pending further action.
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