The truckload of seashells has been held by Capitol’s Anti-illegal Fishing Task Force pending confirmation if these are not illegal or not. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
The Capitol’s anti-illegal fishing task force yesterday held a truck carrying 50 sacks of sea shells, in a checkpoint at Liloan town yesterday dawn.
Task force coordinator, Ret. Col. Romeo Tapayan, said they discovered the shells after the team flagged down the vehicle in a checkpoint at 1:38 a.m. Friday.
He claimed that the contents of the sacks were various types of cowrie shells (Golden Cowrie, White-dotted cowrie, White tooth cowrie, Prince cowrie and Mary’s cowrie).
“There’s a lot of endangered shell deliveries passing by Cebu now. This apprehension should send a signal to them that we are strict about implementing this in the province,” said Tapayan.
“All kinds of cowries are under the protection of the law. All the 12 types,” he added.
However, a representative from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-7) on “plain look” said most of the shells were not endangered.
“These are still subject to confirmation. If these are not endangered, I will recommend for the release of the shells,” said Randolf Corrales of BFAR-7’s Fisheries Quarantine Division.
Truck driver Marlino Maluya of barangay Maya, Daanbantayan town was placed under the custody of the task force.
The owner of the truck, Antonio Pepito, claimed that the shells were taken from Masbate.
The arrest has already been referred to the Provincial Legal Offce for the appropriate legal action, Tapayan said.
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