Over 300 kg of sea cucumber seized in TN

: Around 350 kg of sea cucumber valued at Rs 70 lakh, meant to be smuggled out of the country, was seized at Pamban near here on Tuesday, Marine police officials said.

The officials, acting on a tip-off about smuggling of sea cucumber, carried out checks near the bus stand here. However, one van sped away without stopping.

The Marine police officials alerted personnel at the Pamban checkpost, who stopped the van.

During a search of the vehicle, the sea cucumber hidden in seven sacks was found, police said.

Interrogation by the Marine police revealed that the sea cucumber, valued at Rs 70 lakh, was meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka.

The sea cucumber was handed over to Forest department officials.

On August 28, around 150 kg of sea was seized from a man at Mandapam near here.

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 in great demand and used as food and in preparing medicines.