BINTULU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained two dredgers and two tugboats for conducting dredging activities without a permit off Kemena River, during an operation on Thursday morning.
The dredgers were detained about 2.1 nautical miles off Kemena River mouth at 10.28am by officers from Bintulu MMEA.
Bintulu MMEA deputy operation director Effendy Mohamed Fadil said, the officers also apprehended 11 crews, of whom, five were locals while the rest were Indonesians aged between 27 to 56 years to assist in investigations.
Found on board the dredgers were 4,500 metric tonnes of quarry dust believed to be from the illegal mining activity.
Effendy said the dredgers and the tugboats were escorted to Bintulu Maritime zone vessel detention centre for further action.
The case is being investigated under the Customs Act 1967, Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952/60, Bintulu Port Authority Act 1983 and Sarawak Land Code 1958 on suspicion of moving goods and anchoring without permission from the local authorities.
