GEORGE TOWN: Two Class C fishing boats crewed by foreigners without proper identification have been detained in Penang waters by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
State MMEA acting director Komander (M) Nak Rong Si Prom said the boats, operated by Myanmar nationals, were detained at about 6pm on Saturday (March 23), 17 nautical miles (31.48km) south-west of Pulau Kendi.
"A patrol boat detected the two vessels close to each other," he said in a statement on Sunday (March 24).
He said inspection of the vessels found four Myanmar nationals on one boat and five on the other, including the skippers.
He said the patrol team also found 2,300kg of sea catch on board the boats.
He said the suspects, aged between 24 and 54, failed to produce valid identification documents or approval letters for using radio communication systems.
The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Multimedia and Communications Act 1998, he added.
