SHAH ALAM, May 24 — The Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) thwarted an attempt to smuggle Indonesian undocumented migrants out of the country after detaining a foreign fishing vessel in the waters of Tanjung Gabang in Morib near here yesterday afternoon.

Its director, Maritime Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the fishing boat was detained by the agency’s patrol boat KM Danga at about 1.10pm while it was conducting Op Ehsan, Op Murni and Op Tiris 3.0 patrols about 2.4 nautical miles south-west of Tanjung Gabang.

He said the inspection found 42 individuals, believed to be Indonesian nationals, comprising 30 men, 11 women and one-year-old baby hiding under a blue canvas on the boat.

"All individuals failed to produce valid identification documents during the inspection,” he said in a statement here today.

Abdul Muhaimin said the foreign nationals are suspected of committing offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not having a valid identify document and under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007 for smuggling migrants and exiting Malaysia through a non-gazetted route.

He said all individuals detained, along with the boat, were taken to the Selangor MMEA headquarters jetty in Port Klang before being handed over to the MMEA investigation officer for further investigation.

Abdul Muhaimin said the MMEA continuously monitors and ensures the country’s waters are not encroached and will not compromise on violations of the law that have been committed,

He asked the public with any information, complaints or emergency incidents at sea to call MERS 999 or the Selangor MMEA operations centre at 013-6606652. — Bernama