KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has detained two tankers suspected of illegally transferring crude oil estimated to be worth USD 129 million, authorities said Saturday.
The Southeast Asian nation, which has come under scrutiny over oil transfers linked to sanctions evasion in its waters, pledged last year to crack down on illegal activities in its maritime zones.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said two tankers anchored north of the port of Penang were intercepted on Thursday following a tip-off.
“An inspection found both vessels moored together, raising suspicion of an unauthorised transfer,” Penang’s maritime director, Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli, said in a statement.
He said the vessels were carrying crude oil “valued at more than 512 million ringgit (US 129 million)”.
The vessels were seized and their captains handed over to investigators, he added.
No information was immediately available about the identity of the tankers or where they had sailed from, but Muhammad Suffi said the 53 crew members were “nationals from China, Myanmar, Iran, Pakistan and India”.
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