KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 ― The Foreign Ministry is working to identify a ship and its 16 Malaysian crew who were arrested by the Iranian authorities at the Strait of Hormuz yesterday for allegedly carrying illegal fuel.

Its minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, when contacted by Bernama, said the Malaysian Embassy in Iran was seeking more information on the matter.

"We do receive some new information,  but it need to be verified ... the identity of the Malaysians involved has yet to be ascertained.

"An official statement will be issued by Wisma Putra later,” he said.

Yesterday, the foreign media reported that the Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) seized a ship suspected of fuel-smuggling and arrested 16 Malaysian crew members.

Based on the report, they confiscated 1.3 million litres of fuel that was "smuggled” from an unnamed vessel 15 nautical miles from Abu Musa Island. ― Bernama