Endangered Sea Cucumbers worth Rs 1.35 cr seized in TN

CHENNAI, (PTI): Over 300 kg of Sea Cucumbers worth Rs 1.35 crore was seized in a coastal town in Tamil Nadu, the Coast Guard said here on Sunday.

Acting on specific inputs, officials at the Coast Guard Station in Mandapam deployed a team which seized the Sea Cucumbers in Attangarai sea shore area, an official release said.

The smugglers allegedly fled the scene on sighting the Coast Guard personnel.

Sea Cucumbers are listed as endangered species under the sections of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 since they play a significant role in maintaining the biodiversity in the marine ecosystem, it said.

Coast Guard Station Mandapam is located in Ramanathapuram district about 550 km from here. (PTI)