The patrol team of Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2 found a fishing boat off the coast of Kiên Giang Province carrying 85,000 litres of smuggled diesel on November 22. — Photo courtesy of VCG

MEKONG DELTA — The Coast Guard has seized 85,000 litres of contraband diesel from a iron-hull fishing boat off the coast of the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Phan Nhân Hậu, head of the Đồng Nai Province-based Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2, on November 24 said the division is focusing on its fight against crime, including drug prevention, human trafficking, smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the last months of the year, ahead of the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.

At 1:30pm on November 22, the division’s patrol team in collaboration with Kiên Giang border guards discovered the iron-hull fishing boat KG- 56950 registered in Kiên Giang Province, and found oil of unknown origin.

On board were its captain, Nguyễn Thị Thu Sáu, 52, of Kiên Giang Province, while the iron-hull fishing boat KG- 56950 was pumping about 35,000 litres of the oil into wooden fishing boat KG-91482-TS captained by Phạm Hoàng Anh, 44, of Kiên Giang.

Both Sáu and Anh failed to furnish documents to prove the origin of the oil, and none of the crew members had the certification required to be a sailor.

At around 6pm on November 23, the patrol team brought the two boats ashore, and handed the cases over to Squadron No 422 under the Coast Guard Region No. 4 Command based on Phú Quốc Island for further investigation.

Earlier, on November 21, the division’s patrol team also seized 55,000 litres of contraband diesel from a fishing boat off the coast of Kiên Giang.

The team discovered boat KG-93815-TS registered in the province about 25 nautical miles east Nam Du Archipelago on November 21, on which officer found oil of unknown origin.

The boat's captain, Dương Văn Năng, of Kiên Giang Province failed to furnish documents to prove the origin of the oil, while none of its four crew members had the certification required to be a sailor.

On November 22, the patrol team brought the boat ashore, and handed the case over to Squadron No. 422 for further investigation.

The Coast Guard Intelligence Division No. 2 is tasked with monitoring the sea from Cù Lao Xanh in the central coastal province of Bình Định to Hà Tiên City in Kiên Giang Province, including the Trường Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

The division is also assigned to directly detect and combat violations of law, such as national security crimes, smuggling, and trade fraud at sea. — VNS