RAMANATHAPURAM
Q Branch police have busted a ‘mini factory’ used for processing endangered sea cucumber, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, at Devipattinam near here and seized 620 kg of the species.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Q Branch personnel, led by Inspectors R. Kennedy and N. Rajeswari, kept track of a van, which was transporting fresh sea cucumbers from Sozhiayakudi coast near Thondi on Thursday, and busted the mini factory on Devipattinam coast after detaining a person, identified as A. Asraf Ali (27).
Mr. Kennedy said the shed-like mini factory was functioning at a secluded place on the coast and its owner, M. Mydeen, who was facing four cases for possessing the endangered species, had set up CCTV cameras for watching the movement of police and others.
Before the police team could get into the shed, Mydeen and five of his workers, who were processing the sea cucumbers, escaped, the police said.
The team seized the van, used for procuring sea cucumbers from fishermen, three gas stoves, two cylinders and five big vessels used for processing the marine species. The police also seized a weighing machine, Mydeen’s mobile phone and ₹5,000.
Asraf Ali was handed over to Forest Range Officer S. Sathish and Forester G. Mathiazhagan, who registered a case against him under Sections 9, 39, 50 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The accused was produced before the magistrate at his residence here and remanded in judicial custody. The seized sea cucumbers were destroyed, forest officials said.
