US-Mexico border: Coast Guard arrests 40 sharks illegally caught by lancha crew off Texas coast

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KTRK) – According to the Coast Guard, a convoy of lanchas was intercepted and captured 40 illegally caught sharks in federal waters off southern Texas.

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On Tuesday, officials responded to a report of four fishermen engaging in illegal fishing on a lancha about seven miles north of the Maritime Boundary.

The crew of the Coast Guard Edgar Culbertson said they launched a convoy that cut across the 26-foot horizon and seized illegal fishing gear and 40 sharks found on board the lancha. .

Coast Guard officers said they arrested four fishermen and turned them over to border enforcement officers for processing.

Lancha is a type of fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen, about 20 to 30 feet long with a slender body. It has an outboard motor and is capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 30 mph.

Lanchas are frequently used for illegal drug trafficking to the United States and illegal fishing in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone near the U.S.-Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico.

If you witness suspicious activity or illegal fishing in state waters (nine miles offshore), you are advised to contact the Parks and Wildlife Service’s “Operation Game Thief”. Texas at 1-800-792-GAME (4263).

For all suspicious activity or illegal fishing occurring in federal waters (200 miles offshore), please contact the US Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.