NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JULY 6
In a joint operation with the Forest department, 1,200 kg of banned sea cucumber, meant for smuggling, was seized from a boat and its crew of two men was apprehended on Tuesday, the Indian Coast Guard said.
Following a tip-off on illegal transhipment of sea cucumber, the Coast Guard initiated a joint patrol with personnel from the Forest department and monitored the movement of suspicious vessels.
#Preservingmarinelife In a joint operation with Forest Department. #ICG Station Mandapam seized about 1200 kgs Sea Cucumber, an endangered marine species protected under Wildlife (Protection)act 1972 at #Mandapam & apprehended 02 persons. @DefenceMinIndia @moefcc pic.twitter.com/I5PXPvdQLW
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) July 6, 2021
Subsequently, a boat was intercepted and a joint team of Coast Guard and Forest officials found 110 gunny bags of sea cucumber weighing 1200 kilos in it.
The boat (with its crew of two) was brought to coastal Mandapam north fishing harbour in Tamil Nadu.
“On investigation, it was revealed that the consignment was planned for transhipment across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) during dark hours,” says a release from Defence PRO.
The Wild Life Protection Act prohibits fishing, trade, and transport of sea cucumber.