Three tonnes of sea cucumber seized in TN, 2 arrested

Three tonnes of sea cucumber worth over Rs 40 lakh meant to be smuggled out of the country were seized from a country boat in the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram on Sunday.

Rameswaram: In a major haul, three tonnes of sea cucumber valued at around Rs 40 lakh and meant to be smuggled out of the country were seized from a country boat in the Gulf of Mannar near here on Sunday, police said.

Wildlife rangers, on an intensified patrolling in the area following a tip-off, found a country boat and proceeded towards it. On seeing them, the occupants of the boat managed to escape, police added.

However, two of them were arrested, police said.

They seized 261 bags of unprocessed sea cucumber weighing around 3,200 kg and the boat also. The value of the seized sea cucumber in the Indian market was around Rs 40 lakh, Wildlife officials said.

Reportedly, on September 24, around 350 kg of sea cucumber was seized at Pamban.

Classified as endangered species, sea cucumbers are covered under the Wildlife Protection Act and their harvest prohibited.

The marine species are in demand in Sri Lanka and other Southeast Asian countries for use as a delicacy and in preparing medicines.