1 Oct 2019 12:35

Eighty-seven N. Korean poachers detained in Sea of Japan on Sept 28-30 - Russia's FSB

MOSCOW. Oct 1 (Interfax) - Eighty-seven North Korean poachers have been detained in the Sea of Japan, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

"The Primorye Territory border guard department of Russia's FSB stopped the illegal activities of North Korean fishermen on 11 small-sized vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation in the Sea of Japan from September 28 to September 30, 2019," the FSB press center told Interfax in a statement.

Eighty-seven North Korean citizens, who are members of these vessels' crews, were detained and prohibited fishing equipment and more than 4,000 illegally caught squid were seized, the statement said.

The detainees were convoyed to the port of Posyet pending an inquiry and procedural decision.

"At the same time, 174 North Korean sailors were rescued from 26 sinking small-sized vessels. No casualties were reported," it said.

"These North Korean citizens will be sent back to their home country in the near future," the statement said.