P700-T worth of local fish confiscated

LINGAYEN,Pangasinan — More than P700,000 worth of assorted fish loaded in two cargo trucks were confiscated by joint police operatives and personnel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Friday along the national highway in barangay Carmen, Rosales town.

Reports reaching the Pangasinan Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial office said the assorted local fish — palapal, bangus, tamban, galunggong, amboy — were believed to have been caught through underwater explosions.

The assorted fish were confiscated by the elements of the 107th provincial mobile group(PMG), 102nd maritime police based in Dagupan City, the Rosales and Alaminos City police office, and BFAR personnel.

The report said the joint elements of the 107th provincial mobile group(PMG), 102nd maritime police based in Dagupan City, the Rosales and Alaminos City police office, and BFAR personnel initially confiscated assorted fish worth P289,400 from a cargo truck, with license plates TFB-222, driven by Pablo Omelio, 50, of Urdaneta City at about 3:15 a.m.

About ten minutes later, another cargo truck, with license plates PGU-777, driven by Manuel Veloria, 49, a native of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental was apprehended by the same operatives. The truck was loaded with assorted fish worth P426,400.

Fish samples taken from the confiscated items were found to have been caught through underwater explosions.

The cargo truck drivers were brought to the Rosales PNP for investigation.