Fishing trawler detained off Howth in illegal crew inquiry

LE Orla arrests ship off coast of Dublin

A €2 million fishing trawler was detained off the coast of Dublin on Friday for allegedly having an illegal crew on board.

A spokesman for the Defence Forces said naval service ship the LE Orla arrested the vessel during a routine fisheries protection patrol. The crew were escorted into Howth to be questioned.

It is not yet known how many crew were on board or what nationality they are.

The skipper is believed to be from a prominent fishing family in north Co Dublin.

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Earlier this week, an investigation by the Guardian alleged that workers from Africa and Asia are routinely illegally employed on Irish fishing trawlers and that the Irish Government is “turning a blind eye” to trafficking in the sector.