On Friday, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a sailboat for violating various regulations, including overloading, near Pulau Singa Besar, Langkawi, reported NST Online today.
It said the boat was taking 22 people on an unlicensed sunset cruise tour.
They nabbed four crew members, including the captain at 6.15pm.
MMEA Langkawi District 1 operation deputy director Maritime Commander Nurulazme Zakariah said his team was conducting a routine patrol in the area when they spotted the boat.
He said the boat was only supposed to carry 12 passengers.
Nurulazme said investigations showed the passengers were charged RM280 each for the trip.
MMEA has launched a two-week operation to curb illegal boat tours near Langkawi.
In January, a catamaran carrying 28 Chinese tourists and three crew capsized while heading for Pulau Mengalum from the Tanjung Aru jetty in Kota Kinabalu. Four tourists died and five others were reported missing.
The boat was reported to have exceeded its 12-passenger capacity.