U.S. Coast Guard arrests nearly 30 fishermen, seizes 1,400 pounds of illegally caught fish

23 fishermen were arrested on Sunday and five fishermen were arrested on Tuesday

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The United States Coast Guard arrested five lanchas and seized hundreds of pounds of illegally caught fish off the South Texas coast on Sunday.

Authorities discovered 23 Mexican fishermen fishing illegally north of the maritime border, according to a press release. The fishermen were arrested and transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for further processing.

The U.S. Coast Guard seized 900 pounds of red snapper and shark in the case.

Last week, authorities announced that five fishermen from a lancha in the same area had also been arrested. They seized 500 pounds of red snapper in the case Tuesday.

Lanchas are known to transport illegal drugs or fish near the US-Mexico border. They measure between 20 and 30 feet long and have a slender profile with the ability to travel around 30 miles per hour.

Contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-792-GAME or the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450 if you notice suspicious activity offshore.

About the author

Andrea K. Moreno

Andrea K. Moreno is a news intern at KSAT. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media and a minor in psychology. She also attended San Antonio College, where she held several positions with the Ranger, now known as The Sundial, for three years.