ROMPIN, Oct 20 — The foreign fishermen’s attempt to smuggle liquor and exotic food by using a local boat registration number to deceive the authorities were foiled when they were arrested about 20 nautical miles in the waters of Tanjung Gemuk, Rompin, yesterday.
Acted on intelligence gathered, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) inspected the boat and detained eight Vietnamese fishermen including the skipper, aged between 25 and 35.
Pahang MMEA deputy director (operations), Maritime Captain V. Pannir said during the inspection at 2.45pm the team found all the fishermen had no valid travel documents.
“Initial investigation also found that the boat used fake registration numbers and they were believed to have carried out smuggling activities in the waters using the barter system.
“This is based on the presence of several boats that surrounded the fishing boats before they managed to flee upon noticing our presence,” he told reporters here today.
The investigation found 46 cartons of liquor of unrecognised brands, 10 barrels of snakes believed for the Vietnamese market as well as grade A squid, believed from our seas that were about to be smuggled out and the seizure was worth over RM300,000, he said.
The case was investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 for violating the licencing terms of carrying cargo items, the Immigration Act 1959/63 as there was no valid identification, the Customs Act 1967 and the Wildlife Conservation Act on suspicion of smuggling liquors and exotic animals. — Bernama
