SEMPORNA: A woman 'towkay' was among four people arrested by the marine police in an operation against fish bombing activities here, yesterday.
The 47-year-old woman was arrested after police raided her home on Pulau Omadal at 3.30pm based on intelligence which exposed her as “the boss” of a fish bombing syndicate.
Sabah marine police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Pajeri Ali said that the team also discovered a barrel of about 20 kilogrammes of fish, believed to have been caught using explosives, and 16kg of ammonia fertiliser at the house.
"Ammonia is one of the ingredients needed to make explosives.
“We also arrested a 48-year-old man during the raid to facilitate our investigation," he said.
In a separate operation at 4.30pm on the same day, marine police officers detained two `Palauh (sea gypsy)’ men aged 22 and 27 in Kampung Sum-Sum waters, off here. The duo was in a wooden boat loaded with 200 kilogrammes of fish, suspected to have been caught using detonators.
Pajeri said that the value of the seized items in the second case is estimated at RM10,150.
"The two men and the seized goods were taken to the Semporna marine police base.
The case will be investigated under Section 26 (1)(c) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for fishing using explosives," he said.
The Act provides for a maximum fine of RM20,000 and a maximum imprisonment of two years if convicted.