RAMANATHAPURAM
Sleuths of Customs Preventive Unit (CPU) have seized about six kg of processed seahorses, an endangered species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, after detaining a person.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs and on the orders of Assistant Commissioner of Customs (Ramanathapuram) Rajkumar Moses, a special team, led by Customs Superintendents M. Muniasamy and A. Prem Babu, seized the species after intercepting a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus here on Tuesday evening.
After intercepting the bus near the Collectorate bus stop, the officials checked the passengers and found one B. Malik (21) in possession of the endangered species, concealed in a travel bag. Malik, hailing from Mandapam, was going to Ramanathapuram in the bus, which was proceeding to Tiruchi from Rameswaram, the officials said.
During questioning, Malik told the officials that he was carrying the species to Chennai. A contact person would receive the seahorses from him in Chennai, he said, adding he was acting as a courier and had no connection with the smuggling network.
Forest officials said those engaged in smuggling of seahorses and sea cucumbers procured the endangered species from fishermen, who caught them inadvertently while fishing. As fishing of seahorses was banned in the country, they advised the fishermen to let them back into the sea even if they caught them inadvertently, but some greedy fishermen sold them to smugglers to make quick money, the officials said.
