Navy recovers explosives used for illegal fishing in a dinghy

The Navy recovered explosives used for illegal fishing in a dinghy, while conducting a search in the sea area off Sagarapura in Trincomalee on 10^th June 2020.

Since illegal fishing practices lead to the destruction of marine ecosystem, the Navy has been conducting operations to preserve the fishery resources in territorial waters of the island. Accordingly, a group of naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command, during a patrol in the sea area off Sagarapura spotted one of the dinghies hastily reaching the beach and a group of persons rushing landward. Subsequently, the naval personnel searched the said dinghy on suspicion and found about 35g of water gel used for illegal fishing practices. Accordingly, the explosives and rest of the fishing gear were taken into naval custody.

The seized dinghy, explosives and rest of the fishing gear were handed over to the Kuchchaveli Fisheries Inspector through Kuchchaveli Police for onward investigation.