VLADIVOSTOK, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Far East coast guards have seized over 40 tons of crab from a vessel in Russia's Far East, a security service spokesman said on Monday.

The Russian ship the Sviola was detained on Saturday after a four-hour chase in the Tatar Strait, which separates the island of Sakhalin from mainland Asia.

"A preliminary estimate indicates that there were at least 43 tons of seafood on board," the spokesman said.

The vessel was escorted to the port of Novelsk for further inspection by Sakhalin border guards.

Russia banned exports of live crab in May 2007, but large volumes are still smuggled out of the country, primarily to Japan and South Korea.