TUTICORIN: The Soorankudi police seized 955 kg of dead sea cucumbers from a passenger cum goods carrier near Vembar, about 55 km from Tuticorin city, in the early hours of Tuesday. The police detained a man and were on the lookout for five others who managed to flee the spot on seeing cops.
Inspector S Gurusamy said they had got specific information about smuggling of sea cucumbers – a Schedule I species under The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. A team conducted a vehicle check in the locality. “We spotted a passenger cum goods carrier and managed to catch hold of one of the occupants while others fled,” he added.
The sea cucumbers were found in small cement bags. Preliminary inquiries with the accused revealed that sea cucumbers were caught off Vembar and were to be sold to someone in Tuticorin. In most cases, sea cucumbers are smuggled to other international destinations through Sri Lanka.
The seized sea cucumbers and the vehicle were taken to the Soorankudi police station.
Forest department personnel were conducting a parallel inquiry, said range officer for Gulf of Mannar R Raghuvaran.