Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Polices patrol ship Bisma 8001 has seized three foreign ships in Natuna waters for not having the legal documents required to sail in Indonesian waters.

The arrests were made following tip-offs received from local fishermen and the three ships captains failing to present permits from the Indonesian authority, spokesman of the Riau Island provincial police Adjunct Senior Commissioner Hartono stated here, Tuesday.

The foreign ships comprised two from Vietnam and one from Thailand.

The Thai ship 156-GT C Four, carrying some 75 tons of fuel, was caught on August 25.

The police have also detained seven Thai crew members and the captain identified by his initials as MP.

With regard to the Vietnamese ships 168-GT KNF 7444 and KNF 7445, the police had found some 100 kilograms of dried squid in each vessel and some two tons of fish on one of the ships.

The police have detained a total of 20 Vietnamese crew members, including two captains, from the two vessels.

The three foreign ships were escorted to the Batuampar harbor in Batam for further investigation.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016