In a huge haul, Forest Department personnel seized 750 kg of sea cucumbers, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and arrested two persons, including a juvenile, who were transporting the endangered species in a van near Mandapam on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off and an alert by Deepak S. Belgi, Wildlife Warden of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, a team of forest personnel led by Forest Guard A. Kalidass were checking vehicles near Indian Coast Guard Mandapam North Hovercraft Station.
When they waved a van to stop, it sped away. Six forest personnel chased the vehicle on three two-wheelers and intercepted it near Pillaimadam.
Mr. Kalidass said the driver of the van, M. Mohamed Misran (25), and a 16-year-old boy accompanying him in the van, tried to escape after stopping the vehicle, but the forest personnel overpowered them. Enquiries revealed that they procured the sea cucumbers from fishermen in Mandapam north seashore at the behest of smugglers.
The accused, hailing from Mandapam area, were assigned the task of procuring the sea cucumbers and transport them up to Perungulam near Uchipulli. They were told that a contact would collect the contraband there.
The forest personnel arrested the two under Sections 9, 39, 50 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act. They were produced them before Rameswaram Magistrate Court. Misran was remanded in judicial custody, and the 16-year-old boy was sent to a home for juveniles.
The seized sea cucumbers were destroyed on court orders.
This was the major catch in the recent past. Marine Police of Coastal Security Group (CSG) had seized 400 kg of sea cucumbers in two separate operations last month.