Rs 8 crore worth of sea cucumber seized in Tamil Nadu

Following a tip-off on illegal shipment of the marine species in the wee hours, a team of the Coast Guard tracked a boat moving about suspiciously and prevented it from leaving the Indian territorial waters with the help of its (Coast Guard) teams in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, a press release here said. 

"The boarding team of ICGS H-183 recovered 200 gunny bags of sea cucumber weighing 2,000 kg. The boat was found anchored about 15 km off Vedalai South of Mandapam without its crew...the value of seized sea cucumbers is reported to be about eight crores INR (Rs 8 crore)," the release said. 

According to a senior forest official, a patrol found the boat moving about in a suspicious manner near Pamban here and the Coast Guard was informed. 

"Investigation revealed that the consignment was planned for transshipment across the International Maritime Boundary Line during dark hours. Sea cucumbers are in high demand in China and South-east Asia. However, India is treating the sea cucumber as a species listed in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972," the release added.