Malaysia said on Saturday that two oil tankers were detained on suspicion of transferring nearly $130 million worth of crude oil from one ship to another off the coast of Penang state .
The tankers were inspected after a report was made on the ships anchored 24 nautical miles west of the northwest tip of Penang Island, Muka Head, according to the state-run news agency Bernama.
They were found moored together and suspected of engaging in ship-to-ship transfer activities.
“The two vessels are believed to have carried out crude oil transfer activities involving 53 crew members comprising Chinese, Myanmar, Iranian, Pakistani, and Indian nationals,” Penang Maritime director, Maritime Capt. Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli, said.
The value of the seized crude oil was over 512 million Malaysian Ringgits (about $129.8 million), while the value of both oil tankers amounted to 718 million Malaysian Ringgits ($182.1 million), he said in a statement.
The director said that ship captains and the vessels were detained and handed over to investigation officers. The case will be investigated.
No immediate information was provided regarding the tankers’ identities or their point of origin.
