Coast Guards Intercept 6 Tunisian Coral Traffickers in El Kala

Coast guards have intercepted 6 Tunisians on board of 10 meters boat sailing illegally in the Algerian territorial waters to smuggle huge quantities of coral.

The traffickers were arrested in the night of Sunday, when a unit of Navy Forces’ coast guards was conducting a patrol in the territorial waters, in el Kala locality, near border with Tunisia.

The traffickers were intercepted on board of their fishing boat, lights on water. They were subjected cross examination and admitted that they are originated from Tunisia, and that they are coral specialized traffickers in coordination with Algerians. They added that they have been extracting coral from Algerian waters, and then smuggling it to European countries since 2000.

Meanwhile, joint security services have treated 30 cases related to the smuggling of coral from the western province of Taref, in the period of January to August. Detectives recouped 160 kg of high quality coral, the majority of which were seized inside underground depots. 

However, Head of the National Fishing Commission, Hussein Belot told Echorouk reporter that more than 10 tones of coral have been smuggled from 2000 to 2001, with an equivalent of 800 billion DZD. 

The excessive and uncontrolled extraction of coral in the coasts of el Kala and Taref is putting the existence of this precious substance at risk of extinction, Mr Belot warned.