Fluid Borders

The South China Seas are home to the most hotly contested waters on Earth and Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago, is virtually impossible to police. For decades, its sprawling waters have been the playground for illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. When the country began cracking down on trespassers, arresting foreign crew and blowing up their boats, its tactics were hailed as effective, but the controversy provoked the ire of many.

In this episode we accompany Ian Urbina on a routine maritime border patrol which rapidly takes a turn for the worse.

About the Series