The Royal Thai Navy captured three Vietnamese fishing boats illegally catching sea snakes used as aphrodisiacs off Sattahip.
Crews from the HTMS Ratanakosin arrested 30 sailors and impounded the three vessels, which were seized Feb. 17 off Koh Chuang. About 1,000 snakes, used to create natural sexual stimulants, were in their holds. The snakes sell on the open market for about 1,000 baht each.
The ship had surrounded the ships consisting of fishing boat number CM99625 TS with 11 sailors, ship number CM99834 TS with 9 sailors and ship number CM91623 TS with 10 sailors with over 1,000 sea snakes. Initially, the 3 ships with the crew were led to Marine Department pier Sattahip Chonburi, and were transferred to Sattahip station for investigation upon the charges of illegal fishing in Thai economic waters and entering the Kingdom of Thailand without permission.
Crewmen and officials bottle up the snakes so that they are more easily confiscated.
Capt. Montree Rodwiset said about 40 illegal Vietnamese boats have been captured in Thai waters in recent months. Most had been catching squid, but the trade lately has turned to sea snakes.
