8 Lankans, 4 Indians held by Coast Guard for smuggling sea cucumber, raw turmeric

Chennai: Eight Sri Lankans and four Indians have been apprehended in an anti-smuggling operation involving the Customs and raw turmeric and sea cucumber were recovered from them, the Indian Coast Guard said on Tuesday.

One Indian fishing boat and four Lankan fiber boats were also apprehended on Monday near Dhanuskodi in the Gulf of Mannar, a Coast Guard release here said.

"Based on intelligence input, the joint team of Coast Guard and Customs undertook the anti-smuggling operation in the Gulf of Mannar and seized 330 kg of sea cucumber and 594 kg of raw turmeric which were being exchanged between the smuggling teams during the early hours on October 23. The apprehended crew and seized contrabands were handed over to the Customs department for further legal proceedings," it said.

Sea cucumbers are a prohibited species as per Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Illegal transaction of turmeric and other commodities across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) is an offence under the Customs Act, 1962, the release added.