MIRI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a tugboat and a barge on suspicion of transporting logs without a permit, about 20 nautical miles off Kuala Sungai Miri yesterday.
MMEA Miri director Capt (Maritime) Mohd Shafie Paing said they were detained at 10.30am during a routine patrol.
The tugboat and barge were manned by five local crew members, including the skipper, aged between 22 and 43.
“Inspections found that the vessels did not have a permit to transport logs.
“The boat captain failed to show the domestic shipping licence to the maritime personal, therefore, all five crewmen, including the tugboat and the barge, were detained,” he said in a statement.
The case will be investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952/60.
For complaints and information on any suspicious activities at sea, the public can call Miri Maritime Zone Operations Centre on 085-418204, Sarawak Maritime Operations Centre on 082-432544, or MERS 999 around the clock.
