400 kg of sea cucumber seized near Rameswaram

Rameswaram(TN) : Around 400 kg of sea cucumber meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka was seized today from a coconut grove in Tirappanvalasai, about 35 km from here, and one persons arrested in this connection, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of forest officials reached the spot and seized the sea cucumber valued at Rs 5 lakh, stocked by a gang for smuggling it to the island nation, they said.The officials managed to nab one of the gang members while the rest escaped.A case has been registered.Sea cucumbers, classified as endangered species and their harvest banned under the Wildlife Protection Act, are in demand in South-East asian countries.