MMEA seizes RM8m worth of vessels, items over suspected illegal cargo transfer off Penang
GEORGE TOWN, Nov 7 — Two vessels and other items with an estimated total value of RM8 million were seized by the M...
GEORGE TOWN, November 7 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized two vessels and related items worth an estimated RM8 million in Penang waters on Thursday, after alleging they were engaged in unauthorized cargo transfer activities. Penang MMEA Director Maritime Captain Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli disclosed the seizure in a statement today.
The detained vessels included a tugboat and an unregistered sampan, which were intercepted at 11:40am following public complaints and intelligence gathered. Initial inspection revealed that the vessels were suspected of transferring cargo from the sampan to the tugboat without the necessary cargo licence as stipulated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance (MSO) of 1952.
The detained individuals comprised two Vietnamese nationals - the tugboat's master and chief engineer, and the sampan's skipper, who was a local man. Along with the detained vessels, related documents and other seized items were handed over to MMEA investigating officers for further investigation. Captain Muhammad Suffi emphasized the importance of adhering to maritime laws and licensing conditions to ensure navigational safety, maintain order in shipping activities, and protect national interests.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
