GEORGE TOWN, Jan 22 — The Penang Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained three class C fishing boats for various various offences when inspected in the state’s waters yesterday.

Acting Penang MMEA director, Maritime Commander Nak Rong Si Prom said the three boats operated by foreigners were detained separately around 10.5 to 42 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Kendi.

According to him, the first boat with four Myanmar crews were nabbed at 2. 30am when enforcement officers were conducting Ops Tiris 3.0 for suspected violation of fishing under 15 nautical miles apart from not having valid permits.

"The second boat operated by five Myanmar crew members was detained by KM Burau when conducting a routine patrol around 42 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Kendi after all crews aged betwen 24 and 45 years failed to produce valid personal identification documents.

"Apart from that, the boats were also suspected of breaching the conditions of a valid license under section 8 (b) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and following that, MMEA seized about 1,000 kilogrammes of sea produce,” he said in a statement here today.

Nak Rong said, the same team detained a third boat shortly after with five Thai crews and when checked, two of them were found not to have obtained permission from the Malaysian director-general of Fisheries to work on the boat.

He said that all the crews were then arrested along with the estimated 400 kilogrammes of fish while the boat involved was escorted to the pier of the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) in Penang for further action for violating the valid conditions of the license. — Bernama