Russia detains 262 North Korean sailors for illegal fishing in its waters | NK News
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September 18, 2026Sep 18, 2026

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Russia detains 262 North Korean sailors for illegal fishing in its waters

Incident is the second of its kind this month

Russia’s border security agency on Friday detained North Korean fishing vessels and motorboats carrying 262 crew members on charges of poaching in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), multiple outlets reported.

Three fishing schooners and five motorboats were taken into custody, Interfax news agency said, quoting a spokesperson for the Border Service of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Primorsky Krai.

Border guards also seized 30,000 squid and prohibited fishing equipment, reports said, with the accused poachers having been taken to the far-eastern port city of Nakhodka in Primorsky Krai for investigation. 

“The North Korean fishermen didn’t resist during