105 kilograms of sea cucumber worth ₹47.25 lakh seized in Ramanathapuram

Sea cucumbers play an important role in maintaining biodiversity in the marine ecosystem and are listed as endangered species under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Sea Cucumbers worth Rs. 47.25 lakh seized by Indian Coast Guard Mandapam station in Ramanathapuram district on April 16, 2023. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Nearly 105 kilograms of sea cucumber was seized by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) near Attangarai in Ramanathapuram district on Sunday, April 16, 2023.

The contraband is worth ₹47.25 lakh. The ICG said its Mandapam station conducted an anti-poaching operation and retrieved the marine species.

Sea cucumbers play an important role in maintaining biodiversity in the marine ecosystem and are listed as endangered species under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

The Tamil Nadu Forest and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (TNFWCCB) has also been focusing its efforts in Ramanathapuram, where sea cucumber is a commonly-traded species. Huge networks are believed to be operation as the species are often smuggled abroad in huge quantities, said R. Kanchana, Deputy Conservator of Forests, TNFWCCB.