Malaysia Detains “Foreigners” for Unlicensed Sand Dredging

[Brief]  Malaysia Maritime reports it has detained a dredger operating on the west coast of the peninsular after receiving complaints from the maritime community. The vessel along with a crew of 11 foreigners has been taken to port for further investigation.

The unnamed vessel was operating in the waters off Pulau Ketam, one of a series of islands near Port Klang on the Malacca Strait. After receiving complaints about the vessel’s operations, Malaysia Maritime had been monitoring the vessel’s activities for a few days. The vessel was apparently actively conducting seabed sand drilling and sucking up the precious material.

Patrol boats were later sent to inspect the vessel which was located approximately 11.5 nautical miles southwest of Ketam. Boarding the ship, the authorities reported they found it was being operated by a 30-year-old Indonesian sailor along with two Indonesian crew and eight additional Chinese crewmembers. All the crewmembers failed to present valid identification.

A further inspection also showed that the vessel could not present a license to operate. The vessel which had 2,200 cubic meters of sand aboard along with the 11 crewmembers was taken to the Pulau Indah Marine Police Force pier. They were then handed over to Malaysia Maritime for further investigation.

The authorities are reporting the vessel will be charged with conducting seabed sand drilling activities without a license. The crewmembers are being investigated under the immigration act because they did not have valid identification documents.