Three Chinese fishing boats carrying a total of nine people were nabbed yesterday for conducting illegal "petty trade" with Kinmen locals, the Kinmen Coastal Patrol reported.
The arrests marked just another in a constant series of "hide-and-seek" incidents in recent months in the waters off Kinmen, located just 2.4 km away from the Chinese coast, amid vociferous calls from Taiwan pushing for direct trade, mail and transportation links between the Taiwan-controlled outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu and selected Chinese port cities -- the so-called "three small links."
The Kinmen Coastal Patrol forces, which have stepped up patrols in recent months due to the increasingly rampant illegal trade in the area, arrested the three vessels after discovering them lingering around Chiunglin Bay in northern Kinmen, apparently carrying out illicit transactions.
What amazed the maritime police most is that every sack of produce being traded bore a business card, clearly indicating the illegal dealer's name, phone number and address.
During interrogation, the Chinese fishermen confessed that they are looking forward keenly to the legalization of the "mini three links" and that they consider providing "sufficient contact information" -- such as business cards -- to be "necessary" to pave the way for "bigger prosperity" until such time as the three links are established.
After being interrogated and receiving a punishment notice, the nine Chinese citizens were ordered to take their vessels and leave Kinmen waters. Their goods were confiscated.
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