A special operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy has led to the seizure of an Indian fishing boat and the apprehension of 18 Indian fishermen, poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
This special operation was conducted off Veththalakerni, Jaffna on Monday (December 02). When the apprehension was made, the fishing boat had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line by approximately 30 nautical miles, entering Sri Lankan waters.
The Navy said the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft attached to the Command to send away a cluster of Indian fishing boats, having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters off Veththalakerni.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 01 Indian fishing boat and the apprehension of 18 Indian fishermen continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters.
The seized boat together with the 18 Indian fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and they were handed over to the Regional Director of Sri Lanka Coast Guard Northern Region for onward legal proceedings, the navy said.
With this recent apprehension, the Navy and Coast Guard seized a total of 66 Indian fishing boats and arrested 515 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters in 2024, and subsequently handed them over to authorities for legal proceedings.
