CBI launches probe into smuggling of sea cucumbers in Lakshadweep

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against unknown persons to probe smuggling of sea cucumbers in Lakshadweep, following seizure of more than 800 kg of processed cucumbers in the Suheli Cheriyakara islet in February.

This is the second such case instituted by the agency under the Wildlife (Protection) Act in the past one month, on a reference from the Lakshadweep administration of the Department of Environment and Forest (Kavaratti). The first FIR was lodged on April 23. The sea cucumbers are listed in the Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

According to the Wildlife Offence Report from the local authorities, the seizure operation was carried out on the basis of a tip-off received by two members of the Sea Cucumber Protection Task Force on February 11 that a large consignment of the protected marine animals was going to be transported through a vessel from Suheli Cheriyakara islet.

A 14-member team set out for the islet around midnight and reached there in the morning. After about two hours of search, it spotted an isolated thatched shed roof covered with blue tarpaulin in the northern side of the islet.

In the area covered with dense vegetation, a narrow pathway was created to reach either side of the lagoon in front of the shed. The team detected a freshly dug pit covered with sand and dried leaves. Underneath lay a big container that contained freshly salted and tightly packed sea cucumbers.

Subsequent searches in the nearby shed led to seizure of more evidence, including the equipment used by the smugglers who had stayed there. The Wildlife Offence Report lists 68 seized articles, including the container, preservatives (salt), buoys, hunting hooks, the knives used to cut the marine animals into pieces and rope-net used to keep them alive in the sea.

The sea cucumbers are processed by removing all the intestinal parts, preserved using salt and tightly packed in a container.

After collecting all the evidence, the team loaded the seized articles on to a boat and sailed for about six hours to reach Kavaratti the same night. The entire operation was captured on camera and videographed, said the report.

The first case was registered against four persons for the alleged hunting of 46 live and 173 taxidermised sea cucumbers.