Peru / Áncash and Chimbote
Run Da 608: a squid seizure becomes a criminal trial
Peruvian authorities seized squid and later sought a criminal sentence for the captain. The distinction between that request and an actual verdict is central to the record.
Seizure; prosecution referred to trial2018 seizure; October 2020 prosecution update · Reviewed September 8, 2026
What the record establishes
Peru’s production ministry announced the seizure of 19 tonnes of squid from the Chinese vessel Run Da 608 in Áncash in 2018, describing it as illegally caught. Several national agencies participated in the investigation.46
On 23 October 2020, the Public Ministry announced that captain Zhuang Hanbo would face oral trial for alleged illegal extraction of aquatic species in prohibited waters. Prosecutors connected the case to a 2018 complaint about squid fishing inside Peru’s maritime zone.47
The prosecutor requested three years and four months of imprisonment and S/71,250 in civil reparation, the latter jointly with Zhoushan Zhongju Ocean Fisheries. These were requested outcomes; the announcement does not establish that the court imposed them.47
Why it matters
This file exposes the gap between seizure announcements and judicial accountability. It gives the public a named captain, company and prosecuting office to follow, while keeping the trial threshold separate from proof of guilt. A future judgment could materially change the file and should be added with its appeal status.
The sequence
Squid seized
Peru’s ministry announces the 19-tonne seizure.46
Oral-trial stage announced
Prosecutors identify the captain and requested penalties.47
Responses and legal posture
The reviewed ministry and prosecution releases do not contain an attributable defense response. The captain’s presumption of innocence is preserved for the unresolved criminal proceeding; the requested sentence is not called a conviction.47
What remains unresolved
A final criminal judgment, any appellate ruling and proof of compensation payment were not obtained. Vessel aliases reported elsewhere should not be merged into this record without stable identifiers and a dated registry chain.
The official prosecution identifies a Chinese captain and named fishing company. It does not establish a government order, fraudulent nationality registration or guilt of the entire crew.
How to read the evidence labels →Sources for this file
Ministerio de la Producción decomisa 19 toneladas de pota de una embarcación china ↗
Run Da 608 seizure in Áncash
Source limits
Seizure and ministry characterization are separate from the captain’s later criminal adjudication.
Ministerio Público consiguió que caso Run Da 608 pase a juicio oral ↗
Captain Zhuang Hanbo, company, alleged extraction and requested penalty
Source limits
Referral to trial is not a conviction. Three years four months and S/71,250 were requested, not an established sentence or payment.
