MIRI: A tugboat and barge operating illegally in Malaysian waters were intercepted yesterday by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
The vessels were detained 3.2 nautical miles southwest of Kuala Baram during a joint operation codenamed Op PERMAI 01/2019 and Op TIRIS 3.0 around 12.30pm on Monday.
According to Maritime Captain Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad, Director of the Miri Maritime Zone, the vessels were observed behaving suspiciously.
Upon inspection, authorities discovered the crew were carrying unauthorised cargo and lacked the necessary documentation.
Eight crew members comprising of four Malaysians, two Myanmar nationals, and two Indonesians, aged between 23 and 49 , were detained for questioning.
Captain Saad emphasised that such illegal operations not only breach maritime law but also compromise navigational safety in the region.
Investigations are ongoing.
