The Bangladesh Coast Guard has detained six individuals and seized a large consignment of illegal fishing nets worth approximately Tk 32 crore from the western sea area of Saint Martin Island. The operation took place around 11 p.m. on Saturday when a Coast Guard team chased and intercepted a boat suspected of smuggling goods from Myanmar. Upon searching the vessel, officers discovered about 21.5 lakh meters of foreign-made current nets.

Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon confirmed the seizure on Monday morning, stating that the nets were smuggled from Myanmar. He emphasized that the Coast Guard will continue such operations to prevent smuggling and protect the country’s marine resources.

The incident highlights ongoing efforts by Bangladeshi authorities to curb illegal fishing equipment imports that threaten local fisheries and marine biodiversity.