Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - An integrated patrol team of the East Flores District Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office and the Indonesian Navy took two fishermen into arrest on charges of blast fishing.

"The two fishermen were arrested on Friday (Nov 29) at 2 p.m. local time for allegedly catching fish by using explosives in the East Flores waters," Head of the Kupang Marine and Fishery Resources Supervisory Station Mubarak remarked on Saturday.

The two fishermen, identified by their initials as MS (25) and MB (29), are the residents of Peko Village, Dori Sub-district, Ende District, on Flores Island, he stated.

During the raid, the patrol team also seized a boat of capacity one gross tonnage as evidence.

Mubarak stated that following questioning, the fishermen and boat were escorted to the nearby fish landing port, pending further processes.

The patrol team will hand over the fishermen along with the evidence to civil servant investigators of the East Flores District Fishery and Maritime Affairs Office on Saturday (Nov 30).

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Related news: Fishermen allegedly conducting blast fishing detained in West Papua

Translator: Aloysius Lewokeda/Suharto
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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