Võ Quốc Toại at the police station. VNA/VNS Photo

ĐẮK LẮK — The Đắk Lắk Provincial Police have issued a decision to initiate criminal proceedings, indict the suspect, and prohibit a ship captain from leaving his place of residence for the crime of "Organising illegal exit for others" under the Penal Code.

According to the investigation, in April 2025, during fishing at sea, Võ Quốc Toại, 36, the captain of fishing vessel PY-96896-TS, arbitrarily removed its vessel tracking device and transferred it to the fishing vessel PY-90479-TS, captained by his younger brother, to avoid surveillance and tracking by the Vietnamese Fisheries Surveillance Agency.

He then steered the vessel carrying four fishermen into Philippine waters to illegally fish.

Then, the fishing vessel PY-96896-TS was captured by the Philippines authorities in May 2025.

Upon receiving the information about the capture, the Đắk Lắk People’s Committee sent an official dispatch to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting assistance, information, and protection for the fishermen.

In August, the Directorate of Fisheries received notification that the vessel was fined 500,000 Philippine pesos (US$8,600) and confiscated.

Immediately after being assisted in returning home by Vietnamese authorities, the People's Committee of Đắk Lắk Province assigned the Police to receive the five fishermen, take their statements, and verify the violations committed by the captain and the roles and responsibilities of the individuals involved with the fishing vessel PY-96896-TS in order to strictly handle the case according to Vietnamese law.

The Police co-ordinated with relevant agencies to complete the case file and initiate criminal proceedings, indicting the suspects according to the law; at the same time, they submitted a report to the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Currently, the police are continuing to consolidate the case file and expand the investigation.

Colonel Võ Duy Tuấn, deputy director of the provincial Police, said that in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Public Security, the Police have focused on directing the police forces of 12 coastal communes and wards to coordinate with the Border Guard and other forces to inspect, control, and strictly handle violations related to IUU fishing.

In particular, the police will closely monitor boat owners and operators when they go fishing far offshore. — VNS