The marine police have recovered two Indonesian vessels carrying 3,700 tonnes of palm oil worth RM5 million, believed to have been hijacked earlier this month, an officer said today.

The barge Sandia II and cargo vessel Indon Ocean Marine VII were heading to Dumai, Tanjong Periok in Indonesia from another port in the archipelago when they were hijacked by a group of 10 armed pirates on Sept 6, said marine police chief Muhammad Muda.

Muhammad said police recovered both vessels last Thursday in Malaysian waters off Port Klang on the country's west coast.

Ten men, believed to be hired hands responsible for transporting the oil to Port Klang, were detained.

"We believe they are not part of the gang involved in the hijacking but are middlemen," he said, adding that that the identities of the pirates were not yet known.

"We are still investigating the matter, and the owners of the vessels are also here in Malaysia to assist us, while applying to claim the goods on their vessels," he told AFP .

Pirate attacks

Pirate attacks have increased in recent years in waters between Indonesia and Malaysia, specifically in the Malacca Straits, one of the world's busiest waterways.

But the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre in Malaysia reported a drop in the number of attacks last year, which police attribute to cooperation between the two countries in cracking down on piracy. — AFP