KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Maritime police arrested 16 Vietnamese fishermen for fishing illegally in Malaysian East Kelantan Coastal waters, the Maritime Enforcement Agency said on Wednesday.

The agency's district commander Zaini Abdul Majid confirmed in an interview with Xinhua that the fishermen had led the patrolling officers on a 90-minute pursuit in the 10.35 p.m. incident 98 nautical miles northeast of Tok Bali in Kelantan state after they were discovered.

Police seized their trawler and fishing equipment worth 500,000 ringgit ($170,648)

The suspects, aged between 14 and 48 were remanded for investigation.

If convicted they could be fined 2.6 million in fines or sentenced to prison.

Zaini said the district had made 31 arrests and seized 13 fishing boats since January for crossing into Malaysian waters.

Majority of the suspects being Vietnamese or Thai fishermen.