Indian Navy apprehends Myanmar poachers with sea cucumbers near Barren Island

In a significant effort to combat illicit poaching, the Indian Navy captured a Myanmarese fishing vessel carrying ten foreigners who were illegally collecting sea cucumbers close to Barren Island, around 262 kilometers east of Port Blair. Approximately 600 kilograms of sea cucumbers, as well as sizable storage tanks, rations, and other fishing gear, were seized as a result of the naval ship’s operation. The detained men were all citizens of Myanmar who entered Indian waters unlawfully on January 26, 2025, and engaged in poaching activities for almost two weeks before being apprehended on February 13, 2025, according to a formal complaint filed by the Crime and Economic Offences Police Station.

During a surveillance mission on February 13, 2025, the Navy discovered a suspicious fishing vessel from Myanmar docked off Barren Island. When the navy first ordered the boat out of Indian seas, the crew disobeyed. Upon closer examination, it was discovered that a number of people from the ship had stepped off onto the shore. The ship tried to drift away once the crew boarded back, but it halted a short distance distant. Suspecting illicit conduct, the Navy’s boarding squad boarded and searched the ship.