Tanzania-flagged poacher detained in Sea of Okhotsk
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. Jan 13 (Interfax) - Russian border guards detained a foreign vessel carrying 24 tonnes of crab and fish offshore near Sakhalin, in the Sea of Okhotsk, on Friday, the public relations center of the Federal Security Service said.
"The Amicus refrigerator ship flying the flag of Tanzania (port of registry Zanzibar) was detected in the Sea of Okhotsk on January 13. The captain disobeyed the lawful demand of border guards to stop the vessel and instead made an escape attempt," the report said.
A patrol ship of the Sakhalin border department started a chase and sent international signals ordering the vessel to stop, which, however, were disregarded. In the end, the border guards had to fire into the air to make the refrigerator ship stop.
An inspection team landed on the ship and found over 24 tonnes of water bio-resources transported without permits (17 tonnes of crab and 8 tonnes of fish).
None of the foreign crew members were hurt, the report said.
The ship is being convoyed to Nevelsk on the southwestern coast of Sakhalin for charges to be brought.
