The vessel, registered in Sint Maarten, was escorted back to the Coast Guard station for a full inspection.
During the search, officers discovered that the captain lacked the necessary documentation for both the vessel and its cargo. They found a large quantity of conch on board, for which the captain did not have the required permits to transport from Barbuda to Sint Maarten. The captain explained that he was transporting the conch at the request of a specific vendor who had purchased the goods, and he was merely transporting them. A total of 421 kilograms of conch were found on board.
Further inspection also uncovered a significant quantity of undersized lobsters, which were dead. In total, 117 lobsters were found on board, of which 71 were undersized, carrying eggs, or molting, which is a clear violation of fishing regulations.
As a result of these infractions, the captain will face legal action for possessing undersized lobsters and for illegally transporting conch without the required documentation. Additionally, the vendor will also face legal action for their involvement in the illegal transportation and trade of conch.