A HONG KONG fishing boat with three people on board was detained in Chinese waters yesterday after it was intercepted off the Ninepin group of islands.

A government spokesman said the boat, with its owner and two crew who were suspected of carrying smuggled goods, was intercepted by a Chinese customs vessel six nautical miles to the east of Ninepin group between 2.30 pm and 3 pm. Two plain-clothes Chinese Customs officers went aboard the boat but failed to find any illegal goods. It was later escorted back to the Chinese customs base in Yimtim, Guangdong province, for further investigation.