14 persons apprehended by Navy for engaging in illegal activities
 

Sri Lanka Navy apprehended 14 persons engaged in illegal activities during the past few days in several locations the country. Accordingly, they were held by the Navy for engaging in illegal fishing and cutting mangrove shrubs illegally.

Naval personnel attached to the Northwestern Naval Command, during a routine patrol at sea, apprehended 04 persons engaged in illegal fishing using banned nets in the sea area of Kimbulbokka on 20^th April 2018. Along with the suspects 2 dinghies, an unauthorized fishing net (Laila net) and 10 kg of illegally caught fish were also seized by the Navy. The apprehended persons, dinghies, fish and fishing nets were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Puttalam for onward action.

On receipt of information to the Navy, naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command in coordination with Officials of Forest Conservation Department-Silawathura apprehended 5 persons who were cutting mangrove shrubs at Nariwilakulam coastal line on 20^th April 2018. Few cutting gears and a hand phone were also apprehended along with the suspects and they were handed over to the Department of Forest Conservation-Silawathura.

Based on a tip-off received by the Navy, Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command in collaboration with the Anti Corruption Unit of Trincomalee Police apprehended a person with fishing gears including explosive used for illegal fishing, during a raid of a house at Sambalthivu in Salli area on 20^th April. The suspect along with the explosive was handed over to Uppuweli Police for further action.

Meanwhile, a troop of naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command with the assistance of Coastguard sailors, nabbed 4 persons for practicing illegal fishing in the sea off Norway Point, on 19^th April 2018. A dinghy, 540 kg of illegally caught fish (Alagodu) were also taken into naval custody during the apprehension. The apprehended suspects, dinghy, fish and other fishing items were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Trincomalee for onward legal action.