Somalia: Puntland forces seize illegal fishing vessels, arrest 25 Yemenis

The coastguard of Somalia’s northeastern state of Puntland have seized three small fishing vessels, a boat and 25 Yemeni sailors off the coast of Bossaso on Saturday, Garowe Online reports.
According to Ministry of Maritime transport, Ports and Counter Piracy officials, Bossaso port police’s patrol boats conducted the operations, five miles off east of Bossaso port where the illegal fishing vessels were sailing.

The Yemeni fishermen and a Somali national onboard were arrested in the operation, said the Director General of Puntland Ministry of Maritime transport, Ports and Counter Piracy Abdimajid Samatar Jafan who spoke at a press conference in Bossaso port city, Puntland’s commercial hub.

“The fishing vessels were equipped with modern instruments that could lead a total eradication of our marine resources,” added Jafan.

Continuing, Jafan noted that the Puntland Maritime Police Forces (PMPF) apprehended 78 Iranian fishermen illegally fishing off the coast of Qaw, 20 KMs from Bossaso port city on April 24.

On 23 of September, PMPF also arrested human traffickers including Somalis and Ethiopians in a patrol that saw over five towns along Indian oceans.

GAROWE ONLINE

Via: http://www.garoweonline.com/

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