LABUAN, The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained a Malaysian and four undocumented immigrants on Friday after they were found with 200 kilograms of bombed fish approximately 5.2 nautical miles off Pulau Tiga here.

Labuan MMEA director Capt (Maritime) Izwanhadi Idros said the arrests were made when a routine patrol under the agency’s Op Sejahtera and Op Tiris operations in the waters surrounding Labuan and Pulau Tiga discovered the suspects on a boat carrying explosive materials commonly used in fish bombing.

‘All five individuals, aged between 18 and 55, are currently under investigation for violating the Fisheries Act 1985 and the Immigration Act 1959/1963,’ he told Bernama today.

The boat, valued at RM70,000, was seized along with the bombed fish, estimated to be worth RM1,000 during the arrest, he said.

He said the MMEA remained committed to curbing illegal fishing practices, as fish bombing not only devastates marine ecosystems but also threatens the livelihoods of local fishing
communities.

‘The MMEA’s ongoing operations in the area aim to deter such harmful activities and protect the country’s waters,’ he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency