Home / Environment / Protected Marine Species Trade Stopped Near Kovalam
Protected Marine Species Trade Stopped Near Kovalam
7 Sep
Summary
- Forest officials arrested two men trying to sell 80 protected sea cucumbers.
- The marine animals are valued at lakhs of rupees internationally.
- This is the first direct interception by the state forest department.
In a significant operation, forest officials in T'puram apprehended two individuals for allegedly attempting to sell around 80 sea cucumbers, a protected marine species. The arrests took place near the Kovalam Lighthouse, where the accused were attempting to offload the valuable marine animals. This successful interception by the Paruthipally forest range team is noted as the first direct action by the state forest department against the illegal sea cucumber trade.
The seized sea cucumbers are reportedly worth lakhs of rupees in the international market, where they are considered a delicacy, particularly in countries like Malaysia and Singapore. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges in combating the smuggling of such protected species. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had also previously intercepted a similar group in 2024, indicating a persistent illegal trade network.
