Coast guard seizes 1,200 kg sea cucumber

CHENNAI: In yet another joint operation with the Forest Department, the Indian Coast Guard seized 1,200 kg of banned sea cucumber from Mandapam and apprehended two persons. Working on a tip-off about illegal transhipment of sea cucumber, the ICG Station initiated a joint patrol with personnel from the Forest Department and monitored the movement of suspicious vessels.

Subsequently, the boat was intercepted at 6.30 am on Monday and boarded by joint team of Coast Guard and Forest department. “The boarding team recovered 110 gunny bags of sea cucumber weighing 1200 kg. The boat with its two crew was brought to Mandapam North Fishing Harbour.

On investigation, it was revealed that the consignment was planned for transhipment across the International Maritime Boundary Line during dark hours,” a release stated. Sea cucumbers are in high demand in China and Southeast Asia. However, India is treating it as a species listed under schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.