Around 150 kg of sea cucumber seized in TN

Around 150 kg of sea cucumber, meant to be smuggled out of the country, was seized from a man at Mandapam near here on Wednesday, Forest Department officials said.

The officials, acting on a tip-off about smuggling of sea cucumber, found Ibrahim moving around in a suspicious manner in Munaikaadu area near mandapam.

A search of the bag carried by the man revealed 150 kg of sea cucumber meant to be smuggled out of the country, the Forest officials said, adding it was valued at about Rs 10 lakh.

On August 22, over 800 kg of live sea cucumbers meant for being smuggled to Sri lanka were seized from a boat in the Pamban sea coast.

Sea cucumbers are classified as endangered species and their harvest is banned under the Wildlife Protection Act.

However, they were being harvested illegally and sent to Sri Lankan and other South East Asian countries where they are used as food and in preparing medicines.