Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - The Lampulo Marine and Fishery Resources Control Base (PSDKP) in Aceh province has handed over seven Thai crew members working on Malaysian-registered fishing boats prior to their being deported, according to Head of the PSDKP Basri said in Banda Aceh on Tuesday.

The ship, the Hiu 15 of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, detained the seven crew members on Saturday (May 2, 2019), he said

The ship Hiu 012, under the command of the Lampuo PSDKP, seized the two Malaysian-registered fishing boats for allegedly fishing using trawls in the Indonesian exclusive economic zone (ZEE) in the Malacca Strait.

"When we caught the Malaysian-flagged fishing boats they were fishing illegally in Indonesian waters. The fishing boats employed nine Thai crew members," he said.

Investigators will also charge the skippers of the two fishing boats as suspects.

Translator: Irman Yusuf, Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019