MADURAI: Around 45 kilos of sea cucumbers, which are considered as endangered marine species and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, were seized by the forest personnel in Ramanathapuram district on Thursday.
A 53-year old Ayub Khan, who resides at North Mariamman Kovil street at Devipattinam, has been arrested after the seizure, sources said.
Acting on a tip off, a team led by N. Suresh Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Ramanathapuram Range conducted a search operation in the house of the one arrested.
The seized ones are processed sea cucumbers filled in a few containers. Sea cucumbers were soaked in water in the barrels.
After enquiring, the Assistant Conservator of Forest said the seized sea cucumbers were about to be smuggled to Sri Lanka, where it’s not prohibited, illegally by sea route.
The accused was produced before the Judicial Magistrate and remanded to custody under Section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Ayub Khan is a first time offender. The seized sea cucumbers were later destroyed.