A foreign fishing vessel operated by a Russian crew was detained for an alleged border violation in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia`s Far East, a local customs house spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Coast guard inspectors detained on July 11 the Yurim Maru trawler, which was not flying a flag, near the Shantar Islands in the western part of the Sea of Okhotsk and escorted it to the port of Magadan, Yelena Khotova said.

After a talk with the captain and the crew, the inspectors found that the fishing boat was flying under a Panamanian flag.

The Magadan customs house has launched an investigation against the Panama-based firm Sea Land Panama Co. Ltd. into the violation of Russia`s customs and state border laws, Khotova said.

"This is the second foreign vessel detained in July in the Sea of Okhotsk for illegally crossing Russia`s customs and state border," Khotova said.
sections: Accidents, Region News
areas: Far East region