Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has revealed two foreign fishing boats have been apprehended in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Maldives.
MNDF stated the Coast Guard spotted one of the boats at 1755hrs on September 11 and that the other boat was captured at 0534hrs on September 14. MNDF stated the two boats are currently under its custody.
The national defence force has been conducting joint sea operations with the security forces of neighbouring countries. Additionally, the Coast Guard has been apprehending boats trespassing inside the Maldives waters despite the challenges faced in monitoring the vast ocean territory.
The government has been providing improvements to the resources used by the Coast Guard to better protect the country's ocean resources.