Video: Illegal diving at the sea border

Illegal diving at the sea border

On 16.08.2011, at about 06.00 hours, based one intelligence, three vessels within Mangalia Group of Vessels, meaning MAI 3006, MAI 3007 surveillance and control vessels and a Zodiac type vessel carried out a specific mission in order to counter illegal crimes in regards to legal regime of Romania’s border waters.

Following the activities carried out in the maritime area adjacent to Vama Veche, five people diving were detected; this specific area was declared as protected in accordance with Decision of Constanta County Council no. 31 from 1990. The aforementioned people were led on the premises of Mangalia Group of Vessels. As a result of the investigations was established the fact that the five people are Bulgarians with ages from 30 to 36 years old carrying out, illegally, fishing activities by diving in order to collect snails, "RAPANE" species.

Border Police officers seized the quantity of 575 kg. of snails found on the possession of Bulgarians, estimated at about 1,725 lei and also the diving suits and their accessories.

Prior acts of criminal investigation in terms of the offence of illegally entering Romania’s territory by illegal crossing, of not being in the possession of a fishing license / authorization for boats and vessels and of fishing aquatic alive resources within the prohibition period in the protected areas were drawn by Border Police officers, the criminal file being handed over to Mangalia Court Prosecutor’s office.

On 16.08.2011, at about 17.00 hours, based on mutual border agreements between Romanian and Bulgarian authorities, the five Bulgarians were handed over to the Bulgarian border authorities, investigation being in process while them being not in prison.

Statistics regarding Romanian Border Police activity in the last 24 hours

In the last 24 hours, in the competence areas - meaning border crossing points and "green border" - Border Police officers detected:

• 48 illegal deeds (19 crimes and 29 penalties) committed by Romanian and foreign citizens;
• the amount of penalties reaches approximately 2,600 lei;
• undeclared goods (which were to be smuggled into the country), which exceeded the customs’ legal provisions or were suspected as being counterfeit with a total value of 21,300 lei, were detected;
• the flow of passengers and means of transportation at the border crossing points was about 134,200 people, both at the entry and at the exit and over 34,400 means of transportation.
  19 foreign citizens were refused entry due to the fact that they did not meet the entry requirements and also 1 foreign and 41 Romanian citizens were not allowed to exit Romania out of various legal grounds.