MERSING: Six Laotian crewmen on a fishing boat have been detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for testing positive for drugs.
Mersing maritime zone director Maritime Comm Suhaizan Saadin said the boat was spotted at 3.3 nautical miles (about 6km) northeast Tanjung Kempit near here at around 10am on Tuesday (Aug 26).
“We were conducting checks with the National Anti-Drug Agency at the time and the suspects' urine tests were positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine.
“We also seized two plastic tubes filled with 0.73gm of syabu from one of the suspects,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 27).
Suhaizan said the suspects, aged between 21 and 52, were Laos nationals but the fishing boat was registered in Malaysia.
They were detained at the Mersing maritime zone office for investigation under the Dangerous Drugs Act and the Immigration Act.
Suhaizan added that MMEA would continuously monitor the country's waters to curb illegal activities.
The public can channel information via the 999 emergency line or contact the Mersing maritime zone operations centre at 07-219 9404.
