FSB seized 2.6 tons of sturgeon from illegal trafficking in Astrakhan

Employees of the border department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in Astrakhan managed to identify and seize 2.6 tons of illegally caught fish of sturgeon species, thus preventing criminal trafficking of valuable aquatic bioresources. This was reported on December 12 by the Public Relations Center (PRC) of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Kalmykia and Astrakhan region.

Sturgeon carcasses were stored in outbuildings and production facilities by three local residents. It is noted that the fish lacked documents confirming the legality of its origin.

"The approximate value of the seized may exceed 15 million rubles. A criminal case was initiated against three local residents by the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the Astrakhan region", - noted in the department.

A criminal case is being investigated under part 3 of article 258.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Illegal extraction and trafficking of especially valuable wild animals and aquatic biological resources belonging to species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and (or) protected by international treaties of the Russian Federation").

Before that, in early November, in Kamchatka during the operational and preventive measure "Putina-2024" detained three men with salmon for 135 thousand rubles. They are suspected of illegal extraction of fish of the salmon family. The poachers were found on the Avacha River and in Malaya Lagernaya Bay of Avacha Bay.