Kien Giang (VNA) – The Coast Guard Region 4 Command has reported the consecutive detection and arrest of two fishing vessels illegally storing and transporting vessel monitoring system (VMS) devices belonging to other boats in the southwestern waters.
At around 4:00 on November 2, a task force of Coast Guard Region 4, in coordination with the An Thoi Port Border Guard Station and the An Giang Border Guard, inspected fishing vessel KG-31397-TS (under 15 m long), captained by Luu Thanh Phong from An Thoi ward, Phu Quoc special zone, An Giang province. The team discovered one VMS device on board that belongs to another vessel, coded KG-92827-TS.
About 20 minutes later, the task force inspected another unregistered fishing boat of similar size, captained by Bui Van Binh from Vinh Thong ward, An Giang province, and found another VMS device sourced from vessel KG-93231-TS.
According to authorities, the illegal storage and transport of VMS devices are intended to falsify the operating positions of other vessels at sea, deceiving monitoring systems to evade detection of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, particularly violations in foreign waters.
The Coast Guard Region 4 Command has directed the task force to detain the vessels, seal the evidence, and escort them to Fleet 401 Port in Phu Quoc for further investigation and legal handling./.
