Ship seized carrying $6m in illegal cargo – but it's not what anyone expected to find
A ship containing 12.3 million illegally caught seahorses that was bound for Asia has been seized by Peruvian authorities.
A Coast Guard ship detected the vessel “Adonay”, which was almost 200 miles off the seaside city of Callao before it was steered back to Peru’s main seafood port.
Officials said that the seahorses were illegally taken from Pacific Ocean waters and packed into 55 boxes that weighed more than 2,300 pounds.
The seahorses were expected to be sold on the international market, as the small marine fish has a value of more than $6 million.
Investigators explained the reason behind the large number of seahorses, by explaining that they are viewed as a prime source of traditional Chinese medicine. The use of seahorses is thought to play a large role in curing infertility, baldness, asthma and arthritis.
Authorities arrested three Peruvian men and a male Venezuelan national. The suspects face between three to five years in prison if they’re found guilty.
Fishing, transportation and commercialisation of seahorses has been prohibited in Peru since August, 2004.
Photo source: GOB.PE