ONE hundred and four of the 115 Hondurans who were apprehended in Jamaican waters last Saturday by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard all pleaded guilty to fishing illegally in Jamaican waters during a special sitting of the Kingston Resident Magistrate’s Court.

However, at the sitting of the court at the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Marine Division at Newport West, the boat’s captain, Willy Henriques and first mate Abraham Brown, of the Honduran fishing vessel Captain Mincho Junior pleaded not guilty to the charges of operating an unlicensed boat within Jamaica’s waters, operating a factory vessel within Jamaica’s waters and fishing without a licence in Jamaican waters. But they pleaded guilty to the possession of fish and undersized lobsters.

Nine juveniles who were among the 115 have not been charged and are to be returned to Honduras.

The other 104 men, also pleaded guilty to possession of fish and undersized lobsters.

It was estimated that the approximately 180 lbs of packaged lobsters, valued at approximately US$40 million was seized from the Hondurans after being intercepted by the coast guard.