Navy holds eleven persons with 340kg of illegally caught sea cucumber

Eleven (11) persons who engaged in illegal catching and transporting of sea cucumber were apprehended by Navy during raids carried out at the Nallur beach area in Trincomalee and at Vankalai area in on 21^st October 2019.

Accordingly, 10 persons who engaged in illegal fishing without valid fishing passes were apprehended by Eastern Naval Command, during a raid conducted at the Nallur beach area in Trincomalee. The suspects are residents of Nilaweli area in the ages between 23 to 41.Navy also seized 03 dinghies, 03 OBMs, 300 kg of illegally caught sea cucuber, 02kg of lobsters and 03kg of fish. Apprehended persons along with the dinghies, OBMs, stock of sea cucumber, lobsters and fish were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries-Trincomalee for further investigation.

Further, a suspicious three wheeler was observed and searched at the road block deployed by the North Central Naval Command near the Catholic church, Vankalai. By the search 40kg of sea cucumber were found in the three wheeler and that person was apprehended since he didn’t have permit for transportation sea cucumber.

The suspect is a resident of Nannttan area in Mannar. He along with the three wheeler and sea cucumber were handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries-Mannar for legal action.