MIRI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Miri Zone has detained a tugboat, four crew members and a barge laden with 1,300 metric tonnes of gravel off Miri waters.
Miri MMEA director, Captain Md Fauzi Othman said, in a statement, that the barge and the tugboat were stopped about 1.7 nautical miles northwest off Kuala Baram around 2.35pm on Tuesday.
Further investigation revealed that the boat was sailing without port clearance documentation.
Three local crew members and an Indonesian crew member with valid identifications have been detained for further questioning.
The case is being investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 and the Customs Act 1967.
For any complaints or information on any suspicious activities at sea, the public can contact the Miri Maritime Zone Operations Centre at 085-418204 or the Sarawak Maritime Operations Centre at 082-432544 or MERS 999 which operates 24 hours.
