Two persons, U. Selvaraj (30) and M. Chinnadurai (33) of Thoothukudi, who were trying to smuggle conch shells, an endangered species protected under Schedule I and II of the Wildlife Protection Act, were arrested by Coastal Security Group (CSG) personnel of Thoothukudi on Monday night, and 2,500 conch shells were seized from them.
A vehicle used by the two for transporting the conch shells was also seized, Deputy Superintendent of Police (CSG) N.K. Stanley Jones told The Hindu on Tuesday. They were nabbed at Alanthalai, a coastal village near Tiruchendur, during a vehicle check.
The conch shells, worth about Rs. 3 lakh, were found in 60 gunny bags kept in the vehicle. The two arrested were first time offenders, and confessed that the seized shells were about to be transported to tourism destinations such as Kanyakumari and Rameshwaram, Inspector of Police (CSG), Thoothukudi, C. Muhesh Jeykumar, who led the operation, said.
Last year, three attempts to smuggle endangered species were thwarted by the CSG personnel here. The CSG personnel handed over the seized conch shells to Tiruchendur Forest Range Office for further action, he said.
The seized shells came under different categories such as Cassis cornuta (horned helmet), Fasciolaria trapezium (horse conch), Lambis scorpius (scorpion spider conch), Lambis chiragra arthritica (aruviral sangu) and Madden (mulli sangu), sources said. A case was filed against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The conch shells, worth about Rs. 3 lakh, were found in 60 gunny bags
