TANJUNG MANIS: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here detained a cargo ship laden with gravel and arrested six crewmen for failing to produce a port clearance pass last Wednesday.
MMEA Tanjung Manis director Commander Gilbert Tinggak Numpang said the detention was made at around 12.10 pm, some 0.96 nautical miles west of Muara Rajang.
Prior to detention, the agency’s asset was carrying out patrols in Muara Rajang waters and spotted the vessel in a suspicious condition.
“Inspections found that the cargo ship manned by six crewmen aged between 21 and 66, was suspected of failing to produce a port clearance pass under the Customs Act 1967.
“The crewmen comprising four foreigners and two locals together with the cargo ship and 1,200 metric tons of gravel were escorted to Tanjung Manis Terminal Jetty for further investigation,” he said.
Gilbert encouraged the maritime community to channel information and complaints pertaining to suspicious activity or emergency at sea to the MMEA Tanjung Manis Operations Centre at 010-5063293 and MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544.
