Chennai, Aug 21 (UNI) In a swift anti-poaching operation, the Indian Coast Guard
on Wednesday apprehended a fishing boat with 450 kg of the endangered Sea
Cucumbers and valued at Rs 1.8 crore, which was being smuggled in waters near
Mandapam in the Palk Strait.
Sea Cucumbers is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The interception team from Indian Coast Guard operating north of Mandapam
harbour detected a suspicious boat with gunny bags approaching towards the
shore.
The ICG team started closing in on the boat. On reaching the shore, the occupants
of the fishing boat tried to remove the banned Sea Cucumbers, but abandoned
them on seeing the Coast Guard interception team fast approaching them, a defence
release here said.
Even as the smugglers managed to escape in the dense foliage, the ICG team
confiscated the boat along with the entire catch of about 450 kg of Sea Cucumbers.
The estimated value of the confiscated consignment is about Rs 1.8 Crore.
This is the fifth catch of banned Sea Cucumbers in the Palk Strait area by the Indian
Coast Guard this year so far.
Apart from poaching of Sea Cucumbers, the Palk Strait is also prone to smuggling
of other contrabands like gold, tendu leaves and narcotics from across the
International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Indian Coast Guard maintains fast interception vessels both in the Palk Strait and
the Gulf of Mannar to respond to any illegal activities in Indian waters.
UNI GV 1854