PASIR PUTEH, Jan 15 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) arrested 24 Vietnamese fishermen in four boats for conducting illegal fishing activities in Malaysian waters last Thursday.

Kelantan MMEA director Maritime Captain Syed Nor Adli Syed Ab Rahman said they were detained between 90 and 106 nautical miles from the Tok Bali estuary.

"They refused to cooperate and attempted to sail away when ordered to stop, but the MMEA patrol boats managed to intercept and perform force boarding which resulted in the foreign fishermen surrendering,” he told a press conference at the Tok Bali MMEA office, here today.

He said the four boats, including fishing equipment and 1,200 liters of diesel oil supply, with a total value estimated at RM1.66 million, were also seized. — Bernama