Coast Guard law enforcement crews caught 14 fishermen engaged in illegal fishing in federal waters off the southern Texas coast on Tuesday.
According to a news release, the three lancha boats were filled with approximately 440 pounds of shark and 2,425 pounds of red snapper, along with fishing gear, radios, GPS devices, and high flyers.
A “lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is approximately 20-30 feet long with a slender profile, having one outboard motor, and is capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 30 mph,” the news release said. “Lanchas are frequently used to transport illegal narcotics to the U.S. and illegally fish in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone near the U.S./Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Coast Guard crews detained the Mexican fishermen and are transferring them to border enforcement agents for processing.