SANDAKAN, Aug 21 — The Marine Police here detained two Vietnamese vessels for trespassing and illegally fishing in Malaysian waters yesterday.
Sabah Marine Police (Region 4) commander ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali said the vessels were detained by a marine police team carrying out patrols at Pulau Lankayan waters near here.
“At about 9.45 am, two marine police vessels on patrol with three officers and eight personnel on board detained two Vietnamese fishing boats with a crew of 10 Vietnamese men aged between 20-40.
“When asked to stop, the boats refused to cooperate and even tried to ram our vessels,” he said in a statement here today.
A chase lasting almost 30 minutes ended with both boats stopping and the crew giving themselves up.
Mohamad Pajeri said the fishing boats and equipment, with an estimated value of RM1.62 million, were confiscated and brought to the marine police base here.
He said the skippers and their crewmen were detained for not having valid travel papers.
The case is being investigated under Section 25(a) and Section 11(3)(b) of the Fisheries Act 1985, he added.
Mohamad Pajeri said the Sabah Marine Police were always on the move to safeguard the country’s waters from being encroached by foreign fishing vessels. — Bernama