79 kg of sea cucumber seized; 10 held

Seventy nine kg of sea cucumber, an endangered coral reef species, has been seized over the past two days and ten persons arrested in this connection, officials said.
Fifteen kg of sea cucumber was today seized during a raid on a boat in mid-sea and four persons arrested in this connection, Coast Guard officials said.
The four persons have been handed over to Forest department officials for further action, the officials said.
This was the second seizure in as many days.
Yesterday, six persons were arrested and 64 kg of sea cucumber seized at Thondi near Ramanathapuram. Besides half kg of processed sea horse was also seized from them, police said today.

The value of the items seized was around Rs 80 lakh, officials said.
Sea cucumbers, which play an important role in maintaining the marine ecological system, have been classified as endangered species and their harvest banned under the Wildlife Protection Act.