Cops crack down on ‘Gang Castelo’ in human smuggling bust

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have busted a syndicate that charged migrants up to RM2,300 each to return to their home country illegally in two recent raids. Sinar Harian reported that the two raids in Ops Pintas were carried out by the Federal Police Criminal Investigation Department's Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrants Smuggling Prevention Division (D3). The coordinated raids...

MMEA begin SAR for three fishermen reported missing in Kemaman waters

CHUKAI: Three fishermen are feared missing in Kemaman waters after going out fishing on Sunday. Kemaman Maritime Zone Director Ariffin Ghazali said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Kemaman Zone received a report on the incident at 2.15pm on Wednesday (Oct 16). Ariffin said a Search and Rescue Operation (Op Carilamat) by the Maritime Rescue Sub Center...

Two ships smuggling diesel held in Sabah waters

KOTA KINABALU: Two cargo ships transporting diesel without approval in Pulau Mantanani waters off Kota Belud, were intercepted and detained by authorities on Monday (July 15). Sabah and Labuan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in a statement here on Tuesday (July 16), said the two vessels were traced by Arau maritime ship (KM Arau) when patrolling. “The...

Four Thai fishing vessels seized in Mersing waters

MERSING: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized four Thai fishing vessels and arrested 19 crew members for encroaching into Malaysian waters. MMEA Mersing Maritime Zone director Maritime Commander Suhaizan Saadin said the vessels and crew members were apprehended some 9.7 nautical miles northeast of Pulau Pemanggil on Wednesday (June 27). "The MMEA patrol boat was...

SAR op for missing ferry passenger enters second day

BATU PAHAT: The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the missing ferry passenger aboard the Muar-Bengkalis route enters its second day on Monday (June 24). Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Batu Pahat Zone Maritime Commander Mohd Hanif Mohd Yunus said the incident happened at 11.40am on Sunday (June 23). “The 30-year-old victim, an Indonesian national identified as...

Tanker detained for illegal anchoring off Melaka coast

MELAKA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained a Cameroon-registered oil tanker together with six crew members for illegally dropping anchor off the Tanjung Dahan coast here. MMEA Negri Sembilan/Melaka director Maritime Capt Mohd Khairi Abd Aziz said the vessel was detained about 7.5 nautical miles (about 14km) from the shoreline here at 11.30am on...

Couple drifts from Sandakan to the Philippines after boat runs out of fuel

KOTA KINABALU: An elderly couple from Sabah drifted all the way into Philippines waters after their boat ran out of fuel. Asibih Tamang, 73, and his wife Fatima Ulo, 65, were travelling from Kampung Batu Putih to their daughter's house in Kampung Terusan Sugut, located some 41 nautical miles away and takes about two hours by...

Body of Filipino crewman recovered off Pulau Tengah, Klang

KLANG: The body of 57-year-old Filipino crewman Peligres Jaime Langusta has been recovered in waters off Pulau Tengah on Friday (Sept 1). Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) deputy director (operations) Maritime Commander Mohd Sharenliza Ghazali said Langusta's body was spotted by a maritime patrol at about 9.26am. "The body was then transported to the Police Marine...